You Can't Spell TRUST Without US
by Un4gottenSOUL
Summary: A story taking place shortly after the end of the film, focusing on the development of Nick and Judy's relationship. Both Nick and Judy have gotten caught up in Nick's past and their trust for each other is put to the test as they start to wonder if they truly do know the other. *The goal of this story is to dive into the dark possibilities of Zootopia and touches on adult themes.
1. Banter

"Haha, here let me." Said Nick; taking the box off of Judy. It was by no means too heavy, but a little too large for her to carry. She'd battled to get it in the doorway and there was no way she'd be able to get it up the 4 flights of stairs to his new apartment.

Nick had always been a drifter, staying in motels or free beds all through Zootopia for the most part throughout his adulthood. And since he was now employed full time by the ZPD, Judy had talked him into renting an apartment. It was in the same neighbourhood as her own, just a few blocks down. Naturally a little larger than her own cramped residence to cater for his needs. But she hadn't even noticed; she was just happy to take over the whole process and help him get moved. Poor Nick had already been dragged around town touring different houses and apartments within his budget for the better part of a week while Judy graciously let him sleep on her couch. However his pains didn't end there as he was then literally dragged around by the tie to various shops as Judy picked out all sorts of furniture and appliances SHE liked for HIS apartment, although he did enjoy talking a few sales folk into some nice discounts along the way. He may be walking the fine line, but he will be damned before he pays 'a tail and a half' for a sleeper-couch.

As Nick arrived upstairs he saw the movers through the bedroom door; lay down the bed in his room. That was the last item. He graciously thanked the two burly rhinoceroses and tipped them. Judy had been on their case from the second they started moving stuff in as each item had to go exactly where she envisioned it. And it didn't take long before she was driving them to their wits end. As he laid the box he carried on a counter in the kitchen; in came skipping Judy as she flopped onto his couch, got comfortable and let out a loud sigh of satisfaction. A large smile on her face as she lay there with her eyes closed told him that everything was as she envisioned it for him. Which he admitted wasn't all half bad… excluding stuff like this… as he pulled out and held an automatic carrot peeler from the box. Giving the peeler a look then gazing at the resting bunny slyly. He spoke out with the intent of pulling her from her rest. "So… Uh, I guess I'll visit you often then. So I'll go and see you tomorrow and you'll be staying here." He flicked the peeler on; letting the buzz ring out for a little, then turning it off. He'd never use it himself and he knew it.

"Mmmhmmm." She responded, not even paying attention as her mind drifted in and out of nothingness.

"Oh, okay. Cool." He went on as he started to fiddle with the peeler. Smiling with mischief. "So I take it you're going to be paying for both this and your other apartment and just switch up between the two?"

"Mmmm…" She replied, feeling more comfortable than she should in someone else's home and still totally spaced out.

Nick then put down the peeler and walked over from them open-planned kitchen into the lounge and sat on the floor, leaning his back on the couch where Judy lay and putting his head back so it rested on her legs. "So I'll be staying for dinner if that's cool with you and YOUR new apartment, will YOU be cooking?"

"Huh?" She suddenly came back to reality, jerking upright and flicking her legs around; kicking Nick in the back of his head.

"Ow!" He exclaimed.

"Sorry." Guilt was evident on her face as she reached down and rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head. She hated cooking, considering she came from a family of food farmers and food lovers; she'd just never gotten the knack for it. She'd been sticking to preheated food for the most part because she was both bad with food, and couldn't care for cooking anything herself. She could outrun any criminal and jump higher than any bunny this side of town, but she could not cook to save her life.

The blow shocked Nick more than hurt him, but seeing the opportunity he decided to play through on this teasing role. He loved to provoke her sometimes. And oh how easily she would walk into it. He turned to look at her, scrunching up his face as though he were in agony. "Geez Judy… I think you've basically concussed me. Now you'll have to prepare a meal for me…"

"Uh… Uhm… Okay let me think for a minute." She was totally stumped. Nick only really ate fresh food from the town market so a meal HAD to be prepared. "T…toast maybe? Ugh… No bread here… Maybe I could fry something easy? No, we just got the fridge today there…" And then it dawned on her. "Hey! You cheeky devil!" She then stuck her tongue out at him. "There is no stupid food in this house yet!"

"Aaand welcome back to the real world champ." He said while winking at her.

She then sat up and tapped next to her, prompting Nick to sit next to her and he did. "So how do you like it?" She asked him, looking at him with those big, approval seeking and innocent eyes.

He already knew what he thought of the place, but still looked around, his eyes narrow with theatrical criticism. They wondered around the square lounge area joined to the kitchen and then the two open doors on the other end of the apartment, one leading to the bathroom and the other to his bedroom. Fortunately Judy had a simple styled taste with her choices so yes, it was a little groovy and funky on the colour scheme, but he had to admit. That little bun-bun could pull a room together. "Well…" He started while casting a troubled eye over the apartment.

"Awwww, come on!" She exclaimed while playfully punching his shoulder.

"I'm be honest." He said while suddenly looking very seriously at her. Causing her smile to fade and now she wasn't so sure he was playing with her. "If I were a bunny, sure… I'd like it. But as a fox?" He stood up and made a small circle around the lounge as if pondering his next words.

Judy shifted so that she sat upright on her knees, curious and dreading his final verdict. "You… You don't like it do you?" She suddenly went bright red with embarrassment, realising only now that she had literally gone full dictator mode on his living arrangements and spent all of his money on something he probably didn't even like or worse… Probably hated! She gazed up at him and winced slightly as she now saw him glaring down at her fiercely.

His look of anger slowly faded into a grin and then a full on smile. "As a fox, I think it's perfect."

She yelped and sprung right into his arms and squeezed the air right out of him. "Really… good… job." He managed to say coarsely underneath her tight grip. "Damn, I keep forgetting that you're stronger than you look" He added while trying to pry her looser at the very least but had no luck whatsoever.

*LATER AFTER A MOVIE AND A MEAL OF DELIVERY TAKE OUT THAT WAS ONLY PICKED AT BY A FUSSY NICK WILDE*

"Okay so this is it… On your fridge I've put my phone number, my email address, my pager, my parents' number… just in case; my actual address, my…" Nick cut Judy off by putting his finger on her lips.

"Relax DB" DB being a nickname he had given her which like all things Nick, he did to irritate her, Dumb Bunny abbreviated. "I'll be fine, and you have all my details too, I put them on your phone when you weren't looking." He winked at her after making that remark. "And in any case if it makes you feel any better." He then handed the spare key to the apartment to her. "You furnished it and brought enough bunny based appliances that you could live here if you ever intended to"

After taking it she smiled and stated banter-fully, "Easy big guy… let's not move too fast now. I have a whole bunch of other guys I need to carefully 'let down' before we can make such a big step."

"Oh I'm sure." He replied coyly, coming in real close to her so he needed to talk only a little louder than a whisper. "In any case you should leave now… If my other partner hides in my closet from you for any longer then I'm afraid the poor gal will suffocate."

Judy giggled and sighed, before using her ear to stroke his cheek and respond, "You're full of it Nick. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that she turned and walked away, down the stairs, out of the building and on her way home.

Nick watched her walk away and he smiled, their 'Relationship' hadn't grown more than that very same sort of banter for the last two months they had been police partners together. It was more than just friendship but nothing more than the occasional teasing of intimacy. Nick would have made a proper move by now, if he hadn't felt that with Judy being as assertive as she was would make the move when she was ready for it. The thought of it made him a little anxious which he considered a good thing, but he simply shrugged it off, walked back inside and locked the door to his first, very own apartment. Turning the key and pulling it out. He turned around to receive the biggest shock in his entire life. He was nose to nose with a leopard. "Hello Nick." It spoke with threat and intent. "Long time no see" It continued and before he could even respond with his now reflexive police training; his forehead was met with a fist, knocking him back into his own door. And then, everything went black.

Judy closed the door to her apartment behind her and flicked on the light switch next to her. It had been a pleasant walk home this late evening, besides feeling accomplished at pulling Nick's new apartment together in such a flawless fashion (in her consideration) there was also a sense of pride at the streets now being safer since she was now right in the ear of everyone high up in the ZPD. But her proud smile slowly faded in to a frown and her ears slowly drooped behind her head as she gazed upon her still cramped, but somehow empty apartment. Having a fox living on top of you for almost two weeks had been a minor challenge she would admit. But she'd be damned for not admitting she enjoyed the company. She took off her jeans and kicked them to the corner of the room, getting a little more comfortable. There was no one to maintain appearances for now. And walking passed her mirror it caught her eye. She turned and looked at the long scar running down her leg. Touching it with her fingers caused her no discomfort as it was now little more than a visible memory for one of the scariest, craziest and most memorable days of her life, but not the most joyous. No. The week that followed had admittedly been the most frustrating and probably most happy she had ever been. Wheelchair ridden to give her leg some needed rest while she was care taken by Nick. Yes, after the day of foiling the corrupt roots out of the city government their relationship had never been stronger, but Judy wasn't sure if Nick was serious enough, or even up to the task… And boy did he prove her wrong. He was entirely polite and gentle; giving her space when she needed it and comforted her when she pushed her strained body too far. Judy: having hopping in her nature and not being able to hop for a while can lead to some unnecessary mood swings and tongue lashings. However Nick would never shout back, just smile, say he'd give her some space and drift into the kitchen area to make an overly elaborate meal for them both while she cooled off. He wouldn't leave until she was comfortably tucked in bed or return in the morning until she got tired of hobbling around her tiny apartment and called him over for help. She was actually only really handicapped for about 4 days… The last couple of days she just kind of faked it. And she didn't know why, it wasn't like her to fake anything. But travelling around town with Nick, seeing all the sights through his eyes, and just having him… There… Once she was heeled and Nick got trained up for police work she loved every moment on duty with him, but after the caretaking period she always found herself longing for more. That's when the 'Nick getting his own apartment' plan kicked into gear and bam! He was back where she wanted him. She tried to drag it out as long as she could but it reached a point where everything needed was found and purchased. And now? She was alone again.

Flopping onto her bed face first she lay there for a moment, trying to mentally find the energy to work through these thoughts and emotions. And that's when it happened; the event that would change everything. Put her values, loyalty, trust and feelings on the line. She heard her phone ringing from her jeans that she'd tossed into the corner of the room. She slowly rose back to her feet and made her way over to her jeans, emptying the pocket and looking at the phone she saw it was a call from Nick! Suddenly her ears perked back up. She tapped the green phone on the touch display and placed her phone against her ear. "Hello? She stated in a chipper tone. "What's up?"

And then the colour drained from her face.


	2. Officer Down

The rain beat down on the police cruiser, inside sat Judy, pale with horror and her eyes set in an all too large and blank expression. She was worried, and needed to reach her destination soon. She looked at the time displayed on her dashboard and it read 12:39. She then once more turned her focus to the dark and rain beaten road of the forest district of Zootopia she was currently driving through. And for the hundredth time since she got in her car and started driving; she recited the phone call she had had a little over an hour ago.

"Hello?" Stated Judy, sounding as chipper as ever. "What's up?"

"Judy Hopps is it? Yes… Nick here has told us all about you. Well, as much as he is willing to say." The voice Judy heard was menacing and course; there was a foreign tinge to it as well. This animal was male and a large mammal too from the sounds of things. There was an awkward silence for a moment before Judy had her head wrapped around what she was hearing. "Where is Ni-?" Her question went unanswered and she raised a shaky hand to her mouth in disbelief and utter horror to what she heard next. She could barely make out Nick in the distance shouting. "You leave her out of this! She's done nothing to you animals!" He had started saying something else but was cut out by the sounds of flesh being met with fists; a sound she knew all too well from her police training, and Nick screaming and lurching between empty breaths. "Yes thank you Nick, as always we appreciate another steaming pile that comes out of your trap!" The menacing male's sentence was finished with more of a growl than actual words, his irritation was evident.

At first Judy thought Nick was playing a trick on her, but she'd never known Nick to fool around like this, and he never involved others in his teasing little pranks that he would pull on her. He preferred to do that sort of thing solo. She wanted to scream, curse and tear this cocky figure limb from limb through the phone, but fortunately her instincts and training kicked in and she realized that the wrong response from her could mean serious harm to Nick. "Wh… What do you want from us?"

"From the two of you?" The menace asked rhetorically, sounding as though the question was ridiculous. "Oh I already have what I needed from Nick. Which wasn't all that much, no surprise there really… No. I need something from you my dear, that is, if you ever intend to see Nick in anything other than a body bag again." Her tail and ears flinched at that last part and she slowly walked over to her pager; which sat on her bedside table, while still talking on the phone, keeping the voice occupied, her eyes now narrow with certainty at what she had to do, all fear had left her body and she was determined that she was about to save Nick's life. "And what would that be?" She asked as she slowly picked up her pager, about to click through an emergency broadcast when she saw a red dot aimed at her chest from through her window and she froze where she stood. "Well firstly…" The voice went on. "I want you to put that pager down, put some pants on, and get in your car. Drive through highway number four; Forest District, and upon entering the third tunnel you are to locate and drive through the maintenance gate number two-six-seven. When you reach the end of the road you'll see a white warehouse. You'll find Nick in lot number fourteen. You have two hours. We will be watching you the whole way through. If you try to contact anyone or arrive late? Well… That will determine how much of Nick you'll get to see, or how little." She then heard Nick shouting again in the background before they started another round of beating him and then the call abruptly ended.

The methodical squeaking of the windscreen-wipers made time feel as though it were moving at a glacial pace. Judy now tapped her index finger impatiently on the steering wheel as she alternated constantly between looking at the road ahead, and the dashboard clock. "Not long now." She whispered to herself reassuringly as she entered the third tunnel down highway four. The red glow of the clock's digits was even more daunting in this pitch black tunnel. As the now illuminated numbers rolled with the minutes; she started to feel her nerves building again.

The black painted number fourteen was suddenly lit up by the cruiser's two headlights as Judy came to a stop; parking just outside the specified lot. She looked down at herself and sighed, she would rather be in uniform right now with her tranquilizer gun at hand. But she would have to make do in her jeans and t-shirt. Unless… Judy then glanced over to the glove compartment as subtle as she could. If Nick's captor spoke the truth and he could truly see her the whole way, then she was probably being watched now. In the glove compartment wasn't another gun, but rather an emergency clip of 5 tranquilizers she liked to keep on hand in the vehicle, in case a situation turned violent and she needed to subdue more animals than she could in a single round of shots. Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel while she thought; 'I need a way into that compartment without looking suspicious.' and that's when then idea came to her. She picked up her phone and dialed Nick's number, and as predicted; no one answered. This served two purposes: One; she now knew that these animals she was dealing with were the 'no nonsense' sort, you follow instructions or you fail. Two; She now had an excuse to open the glove compartment. Opening the glove compartment; she used one fluid motion to place the phone inside and carefully remove the tranquilizer clip. Resting her hands upon her hips and slipping the clip into one of her pockets sneakily, she faked looking as though she were gathering her thoughts. "Here we go…" She stated to herself. "Time to go save Nick."

The handle to the entrance door turned with ease and it swung open, as expected it held zero protests to requiring a key, Judy was expected to let herself in. Quietly closing the door behind her; she walked further into the warehouse and carefully loosened a tranquilizer from the clip in her pocket; she could almost predict this whole event going down the violent path in any case and she was ready to fight for her own life as well as her partners. She patted her pocket to reassure herself of her little 'in case of emergency plan' and upon looking up; was frozen where she stood for only a moment, before running forward to Nick. A single spotlight shone down upon him brightly, whereas the rest of the warehouse was mostly too dark for her to see into. As she reached Nick she could see he was seated on a wooden chair; his ankles bound to the front two legs of the chair and his wrists tied together around the back of the chair. "Oh my God, Nick…" She whispered as she came to stand in front of him, reaching out to touch him but pulling her hand back immediately after noticing the countless welts, scratches and early discoloration around his body that would later darken into severe bruises. His head hung limp; his chin touching his chest and his breathing was little more than sharp wheezing. "Oh Nick…" She began again, this time moving behind him and starting to work at unbinding his wrist restraints. "We need to get you to a hospital." Not a moment later did she feel his body tense back into life and he took a deep, broken breath followed by a cough, she stopped working at untying his wrists momentarily as he held one of her hands as best as he could in his current state, and in little more than a course whisper that sounded like sanding paper going over a rock; he managed to murmur to her "Please… Leave."

"What?-" She began to query before being cut off by the same menacing voice from over the phone.

"Well, well, well… Judy Hopps! What an absolute honor." Judy's head snapped around to the front of Nick where from the shadows emerged a figure. A massive leopard with perfect posture walked forward, his fists clenching and relaxing and his whole demeanor emitted strength and power. Not wanting to feel any more under-powered in her current situation; Judy stood up and lightly placed a hand on Nicks shoulder, she could feel he was cold and trembling; probably from perspiration and adrenaline, but the last thing Nick needed right now was to get feverish on top of his current discomfort. Although she maintained eye contact with this villainous being in front of her; she was worried for Nick but couldn't afford to show weakness or concern at this moment. "Judy Hopps, ZPD" she stated, almost shouting. She had to fight the urge to reach for a badge she knew wasn't pinned to her chest at the moment. "And I demand to know who you are, why you have brought us here, and why you have hurt my partner." She lightly squeezed Nick's shoulder as she stated that they were partners, hoping to give some hope and life back to his withered body; knowing that she was now here to protect him.

"Oh but of course." The leopard replied in a theatrical manner, and folded himself slowly into a bow. "The name is Laurence, Laurence Climberton. A name you should know from Nick, but knowing Nick's nature then I am not surprised that you don't." He then came back up to his full height and took a few more steps forward; his black formal shoes that were shined to reflection could now be heard clicking with each step as he got closer. Upon hearing Laurence's statement Judy's eyes shifted to Nick for only a second, she would be sure to ask Nick what this animal meant when they were out of harm's way. The threatening leopard began to pace side to side as he elaborated further on Judy's questions. "I brought Nick here because he owed me a debt. I have now brought you here because I need you to help Nick pay that debt." Judy's slight grip on Nick's shoulder loosened so her hand now just rested on his shoulder, she turned her head only for a moment to look at Nick as she thought to herself 'Debt?. Turning her attention back to the pacing figure she made more mental notes on her taunting opponent. His posture became clear to her; he was military, although probably ex-military as he did not strike her as the 'order-taking' type. He then stopped his pacing and placed his hands into his formal black trousers' pockets which seemed to only enhance his muscular torso through the tight black t-shirt her wore as well. "And to answer your question as to why we have harmed your poor little Nick Wilde?" He then lowered his head and looked directly at Judy, the spotlight from above now adding menacing shadows to his features and for the first time she felt a flicker of fear while looking at this villain.

He continued, "In my line of work. You either pay your debts in currency, or in flesh. And as much as it pains me to admit it to you my dear; the time for currency with Nick has long passed." Closing the gap between them, this Laurence now walked briskly up to the both of them and shouted with fangs visible in his raw rage. "Now I want the flesh he owes!"

Judy had heard enough. With this menace mere inches away from them both she lunged forward; fast and low. Before he could even remove his hands from his pockets she had already punched him as hard as she could in his right knee and landing from her attack behind him. Her hand numb from the blow as she knew she hadn't truly harmed this tough animal but had at least started a formidable attack; causing him to grunt and collapse into a kneeling position to check his battered knee. Judy then reached into her pocket and pulled free the top tranquilizer she had loosened from the clip, holding it like a dagger she then dashed at her downed opponent. He may have held strength and size over her, but it was all about to become nothing. Aiming straight for his left shoulder she brought the tranquilizer in hard, aimed at its mark, but for the first time in a long time; Judy wasn't fast enough. In less than the blink of an eye Laurence had turned around grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her dead in the air. He then used his free hand to grab her by the ears and dangle her entire weight from them. The pain running down her body set her fur on edge and she instinctively released the tranquilizer and began to claw at the hand holding her ears as best as she could. She had to bite her lip to keep herself from screaming and started kicking out wildly with her legs, hoping to hit something of his. Nick seeing what was going on sudden found new energy to thrash about and scream curses at the leopard, which only caused Laurence to laugh hysterically. Judy was then thrown by her ears into the dark beyond the spotlight and felt her arms pulled out and held firmly as large hands immobilized her and upon being dragged back into the light, she could now see she was being held by two more leopards, these were a more natural size and just emphasized the excess that Laurence was as in his own size.

Picking up the tranquilizer and using it as a pointer; Laurence limped towards Judy who was now being held firmly in a kneeling position on the ground. "You know what Judy? I respect you. At first I wondered why Nick chose you as his 'key' to our little ploy. However now I see why. You're smart, loyal, a good and fast fighter." He then crouched in front of her and tried to run a finger down her cheek, but Judy pulled away immediately and looked him dead in the eyes with disgust. "Beautiful too." Laurence added before standing up and beginning to pace in front of her once more, except now with a slight limp. "Now I know you're a good cop, much like I am good at reading people. And stop me if I am wrong but your next question would be something along the lines of…" He pondered for a second before pointing the tranquilizer at her again and continuing "What was my business with Nick and how can you help free him of his debt?" She glared up at him but kept quiet, she really did want to know, and in any case he was going to tell her at this point in any case. "It's simple really; Nick was going to rob a bank for me." He pointed the tranquilizer over to the battered fox that was looking at Judy pleadingly while his whole body moved with each breath he took, each one looking clearly being hard to circulate around the settling bruises and injuries over his body. "You were his key in and out, or at least that was the plan." Laurence went on; now pointing the tranquilizer at Judy before grinning at her and throwing the tranquilizer into the dark; the spotlight once more making him look extra menacing.

"Now it's a little different Judy. You see, you're going to rob that bank for me."

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED CHAPTER ONE._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 _JAREL KORTAN_

 _CRAZYFANGIRL246_

 _DBZGTFAN2004_

 _FRIO4686_

 _KTRK5_

 _RANDOMPERSON_

 _AND LEO._

 _YOUR FEEDBACK WAS AWESOME TO READ. ITS BEEN SO FUN WRITING THIS AND ITS REALLY AWESOME TO HAVE SUCH COOL FEEDBACK ON MY FIRST FANFIC EVER! IF YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE STORY IN MY WRITING STYLE OR IF YOU FEEL I AM DOING ANYTHING WRONG THEN PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW. SO I CAN IMPROVE UPON IT :)_

 _THANKS FOR READING! AND I HOPE YOU LIKE THE COVER ART (IF ITS ACTUALLY UP THERE... I CAN'T REALLY TELL)_

Un4gottenSOUL


	3. Deal

Judy scoffed and turned her head away, a look of total disinterest upon her face. "Oh please." She replied, no longer even struggling against those holding her. She couldn't be bothered to give them the satisfaction. "If you're as good as you claim to be at reading people, and as confident in your assumption that I am this good and loyal police officer then you'd know I would never even consider doing any such thing for you."

Laurence then crouched in front of here once more, holding his knee to help him get down. "I don't expect you to do it officer, heck you can walk away right now. Although…" He let his voice trail off as he hiked a thumb over his shoulder in Nick's direction. "That shaking mound of fur, cuts and bruises needs you to do this. Take in mind I have had my fun with him, I am now simply asking you to save me the trouble of sending one of my men to throw away the body." And it was with that statement that Judy realised the choice that she was faced with… It was as though she had hopped at full speed straight into a brick wall. She could never go back on her duty to Zootopia, all the years of fighting naysayers and disbelievers alike. This was her life dream and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she committed such a heinous and career destroying crime. But if she didn't then she would lose Nick and then he wouldn't get to live at all. Nick… She didn't even really know him, although she thought she did. That kind and caring creature that looked after her while she was injured and treated her as though she were something truly special; it wasn't even really him. Had he truly been using her this whole time? At any point did she truly matter to him? Her eyes began to get glassy as she fought the urge try cry at her current predicament. Battling to decide her next words; her eyes shifted from the dark humoured grin on Laurence to Nick in the distance who was paying careful attention to what was transpiring as he stared worriedly at Judy with one large eye and his other which was almost closed entirely as it started to swell and darken. Laurence gave his two men a nod, and after removing the semi-full tranquilizer clip from her pocket they let her arms go. And as the cruel leopard had read her correctly; once released her arms simply dropped to her sides with zero resolve to fight, and her head hung low. "Now I promise you Officer Hopps." Laurence began as he reached out towards her and used his index finger to raise her chin so she looked him in the eyes. Her large beautiful eyes were stained with red rings that followed around her eye lids and anyone could see she was just about to cry, but also the hurt she felt now ran deep and rotted her to her core. He had to stop himself from smiling and maintain a serious face; he loved breaking his victims and he would count this occasion extra special. "If you do this one, little job for me… Then you and Nick can walk away from this forever. So what do you say?" He released his hand from under her chin and brought it into a handshake's position. "Do we have a deal?"

Nick felt as though he were stuck inside a glass box, observing Judy throw her life away. As soon as he saw her clench her eyes and a single tear run down her cheek he knew what she had chosen. Before she even began to raise her hand to shake Laurence's and confirm that a deal had indeed been struck. He began his thrashing out again, this time even rocking the chair. "NO JUDY! NO!" He shouted at her, his bellows echoing through the large warehouse and still he was being ignored. "DON'T DO IT! DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR LIFE! HE'S NOT GOING TO HONOUR ANY DEAL!" But his shouting was for naught. Judy slowly shook Laurence's hand and gazed blankly at Nick through Red, teary eyes; looking as though her soul had just been pulled out.

"What choice do I have?" She murmured just loud enough to be heard by all those around her and then Laurence released her hand and stood once more, this time wondering closer to Nick. "You are one to talk, fox!" The word 'fox' was almost spat out by the leopard. "What do you even know of honour? You can't even tell your partner the truth about yourself!" Walking real close to Nick, Laurence whispered so that only Nick could hear him. "And now, I am going to tear your life apart from the inside out."

* * *

Laurence's two minions had unbound Nick and left Judy to aid him to walk. They were led into a room near the back of the warehouse that would obviously serve as an office area in most scenarios, but it had obviously been converted for such occasions as this one. Opening the door let what little light was provided from the distant flood light seep into this dark place; and inside the small, square room was nothing, except for a mattress on the floor and a basin in the far left corner, Judy then carefully laid Nick onto the mattress and he grimaced in pain. Looking down at Judy who was crouched next to Nick; while standing in the doorway, Laurence grabbed the door handle and stated "Rest well Officer, we will be back for you when it is time." And with that he shut and locked the door; leaving the bunny and injured fox in complete darkness. Slumping against the nearest wall to the mattress, Judy took a deep and controlled breath as she stared into dark nothingness; the sound of Nick's wheezing was only emphasized by the absolute silence in this small and confining room. Even though she could not see the walls in the dark, she could kind of sense where they were, and suddenly her cramped apartment was feeling very spacious in comparison. Her long and delicate ears flinched as she heard Nick take a deep breath and lick his dry lips as he prepared to say something.

Nick who could see in the dark better than his partner lay in pain and stared at her. She was an emotional and physical mess right now. And he had caused it. He then spoke while exhaling; it seemed to hurt a little less that way, "I'm sorry."

Feeling her throat go tight and her eyes starting to water again, Judy asked back, in little more than a whisper "Why?"

Nick, still lying down with his eyes fixed on her saw her raise her hands to her eyes as she tried desperately to keep herself in check. He swallowed hard to keep himself from getting emotional. "I owed them." He then reached out to touch her leg to comfort her but upon feeling his hand she pulled away from him, scooting away to stay out of his reach. And that hit Nick harder than any physical torture that they had made him endure on this night. Turning his gaze away from her and staring at the ceiling he went on, "It was never meant to involve you, you were never intended to be a part of the plan, all it was; was a simple infiltration job that required my skills as a fast-talker and that was it. I was going to be free." Grunting in pain as his swollen and cut flesh protested, he forced himself into a sitting position against the wall and stared once more at Judy. "But then…" He started to drag himself towards her in the dark, scooting off the mattress and onto the cold concrete floor he ignored the agony and went on. "This persistent, annoying, tiring and ridiculous little police officer taught me how to love, to have honor and to be loyal to those you care for. The beautiful, brilliant and perfect little bunny gave me a reason to live. I was no longer interested in earning my freedom, all I wanted from then and even now is you."

Suddenly lots of talking could be heard outside the small room and in the warehouse and someone out there must have switched the main lights on. Although the room stayed dark, light flooded in around the door frame and cast a dim light throughout the pitch black room. Removing her hands from her face Judy looked around and could now make out shapes and faint colors, and turning her head she could see Nick. In the darkness she had heard her Nick, not this Nick that Laurence had spoken of but the Nick she loved and cherished. She reached out in the dim light and grasped his hand tightly as she looked deeply into his eyes. "I am so sorry." She confessed as she let her emotions flow and the tears came flowing.

"Hey now…. Hold on right here." Nick started as he found the strength and pain-tolerance to lead Judy into his arms. Her soft and sweet head resting on his chest was almost unbearable but he needed to treasure the moment even though his body was so sensitive, he could feel her tears running down his body as though they were claws. Through gritted teeth he continued, "You have nothing to apologize for." And through quick and uneven breaths the distraught little bunny replied. "But I do Nick. I'm not upset because I have to rob a bank for you. I'm upset because I can't." She instinctively nuzzled deeper into his body and between pain and emotions; Nick felt his eyes tearing up as well. "I know what I said in there… I know what deal I struck." Judy continued, un-borrowing herself from within Nick to look up at him with those sweet eyes and her ears folded back over her head. "I want to save you Nick, I just can't do it. I don't have it in me. I've followed rules my whole life, fought harder than I thought possible to save and protect others, but the one I want to save most I cannot. I can't rob that bank for you Nick. I just can't do it." And she once more burrowed herself into him.

Keeping silent for a moment and smiling stupidly at himself in the dark for how pathetic the whole situation was; Nick spoke to her, "Shhh, I know. I know DB. And I wouldn't want you to do it in any case." He loosened his arms from hugging her and used his hands to raise her head to look him in the eye. "Tomorrow you're going to go to that bank, walk to the back, and sound an alarm, get caught on purpose if you have to. They won't walk in the bank with you but rather wait outside, so when the alarm goes off they will flee, and as soon as help arrives at the bank you send them straight here Judy. Do you understand?" And she nodded slowly, before shaking her head. "No Nick! They will kill you, if I fail them, I fail you. They WILL kill you." Nick then smiled at her while adding, "I've been living off of borrowed time as it is. Just promise me that you will sound the alarm, and do not give them whatever it is that they want you to get. If tomorrow is to be my last day alive, then I want to end it knowing that you are free from my demons and mistakes, and you can hunt down these savages."

Judy simply stared at him as she was processing what he was saying. She would not have been able to rob the bank even if she wanted to, but with Nick's consent to do the right thing, she felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. And she was able to give back her own little half-hearted smile back to him. She released herself from his grip and stood up, gave the fox a strong kiss on the cheek before walking over to the basin. She then began to tear off strips of her shirt and wet them with water, before returning to Nick's side with her hands full of wet pieces of cloth.

* * *

Nick whimpered as he felt a sting run through his body as Judy gently ran one of the wet pieces of cloth over the largest cut on his back. She could barely make out anything in the dark but could clearly see this cut so she knew it was a bad one; it ran from his right shoulder blade right down to his left set of ribs, she grimaced for him; biting her lower lip as she did her best to clean it. She spent what felt like forever repeating the process all over his back, shoulders and neck while he lay stomach down on the mattress before taking what she could only assume to be the cleanest rag, rinsing it with more water and letting it stick to the biggest wound before helping him roll over. Fortunately it was only minor scratches on his front so Judy made short work of wiping him down. She placed a hand on his chest and could feel his body was far too hot… she had kept just enough of her shirt to keep herself decent so after rinsing and re-wetting the remaining rags she spread them across his torso, hoping to cool him even slightly. She sat in a kneeling position for a moment and reflected on her work, in some way it was almost as though she were repaying him for taking care of her when her leg got injured. Nick looked up at her and smiled in gratitude and once more she put on a half-hearted smile in return. Tomorrow she would more than likely lose him forever and it was all because her greatest strength, was now her strongest weakness. Nick seemed ready to say something but she couldn't care to give him the chance as she came in quickly and passionately kissed him on the mouth. Months of pent up teasing and taunting finally let free, all because this was the first and now the last chance she would get to show him how she truly felt.

Gently lying down next to him, she gazed at him wondrously; learning the features of his face and burning them into her memory. Shortly after their kiss, he fell asleep from exhaustion. But Judy would not. As she still lay there staring at this animal she loved more than anything on this earth; her mind, body and soul were battling her heart. As she had to convince herself that the right choice; the choice Nick himself wanted, was the only one.

* * *

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED THIS STORY._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 _ **KTRK5**_

 _ **FLASHFLASH-HUNDRED-YARD-DASH**_

 _ **DIRTKID123**_

 _ **PINGUINEHELENE**_

 _ **JAREL KORTAN**_

 _ **DANNY-171984**_

 _AND_ _ **BGNSTEAL**_

 _LASTLY A HUGE THANK YOU TO_ _ **FRIO4686**_ _FOR POINTING OUT THAT GRAMMATICAL ERROR. I PROOF READ MY CHAPTERS BUT SOMETIMES MY EYES DO GLOSS OVER SOME THINGS WITHOUT PICKING IT UP, YOU'LL FIND THAT ERROR CORRECTED SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH :)_

 _AND THANKS TO_ _ **ASPIRINGAUTHOR13**_ _FOR RECOMMENDING A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE WRITING STYLE OF THESE CHAPTERS THAT I DEFINITELY AGREE WILL MAKE THE STORY EASIER TO READ, YOU WILL SEE THE CHANGES AS OF CHAPTER 5._

 _I AM VERY SORRY I HAVE MADE YOU WAIT FOR SO LONG FOR THIS ONE, BUT I FELT THAT CHAPTERS 3 AND 4 NEEDED TO BE PUBLISHED TOGETHER SO HERE THEY ARE, AND I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM BOTH! AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE END OF CHAPTER 4, I HAVE A LITTLE 'EASTER EGG' FOR YOU :)_

 _PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU DETECT ANY ERRORS OR FEEL THAT THE STORY CAN BE IMPROVED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, MY GOAL IS TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE FANFICTION FOR_ _ **YOU!**_

Un4gottenSOUL


	4. The Third Choice

The door unlocked and opened without warning and sitting on the edge of the mattress opposite the door was Judy, having to raise her hand to her face to block the sudden rush of light. As her eyes adjusted, a silhouette that stood in the doorway took features and she could see it was one of Laurence's men from their last encounter. He took one step in the room and tossed a uniform that had obviously been fetched from her apartment at her. He then looked down at Judy who was covering her lower waist with the uniform that had just been thrown at her, shifted his gaze to the rag covered Nick then continued to stare at Judy. Her eyes narrowed, nose turned up and her ears bent forward. "Do you mind?" She stated bluntly as he stood there staring awkwardly for a moment before backing up and stating. "Uh, come out when you're done, and close the door behind you." He was left feeling awkward; obviously unsure if his orders were to bring her out or wait for her to get dressed. He soon didn't care as she raised an eyebrow menacingly at him, and remembering what she had done to Laurence, and then he turned and walked away.

* * *

Standing with a false sense of pride as she was now in her uniform, Judy folded her previously worn clothes as her mind worked like an overused machine subconsciously and she placed the tattered shirt remains and jeans at the foot of the mattress. Nick was still asleep, she felt his chest now and he was nowhere near as hot as he had been. She smiled to herself and kissed the sleeping fox on the forehead, before standing over him and having one final thought. 'I could carry you… I could pick you up right now and we could make a run for it.' But that was a dream at this point, she knew with these animals that she needn't take three steps outside the small room with Nick and they would both be stopped, and she wouldn't dare even consider putting Nick through another beating. Knowing what Nick wanted her to choose, and not yet what she was going to choose; the troubled bunny walked out of the room and quietly shut the door behind her, so as not to wake the resting fox.

Turning away from the door Judy could see that it was now mid-morning. The warehouse was no longer lit by ceiling lights or spotlights, but rather natural light coming through a series of wide open garage doors. The sound of wind blowing through trees and the distant movement of vehicles a short distance away reminded Judy that life was still moving on in the jungle district, and by a greater extent; the whole of Zootopia. She looked around the warehouse and saw that a lot had gone on while she was locked away with Nick. A variety of leopards, tigers and bears now walked around the warehouse, mostly in pairs or groups of up to six and all were armed. There was also now a range of combat vehicles scattered strategically through the space. From cars to trucks to a helicopter that was being towed in. Between the unmarked vehicles and class of weaponry she had seen, she then realized what was occurring around her. Judy was at the center of a mercenary army. And with this much equipment brought to this location in such a short amount of time. She couldn't help but feel as though she was going to in fact be the 'key' piece in triggering something huge.

Judy heard a loud whistle, and looking to her far right she saw Laurence gesturing for her to come over. As she approached she saw him leaning over a large table, just a touch over her height so she couldn't actually see what was on it. But between the high tech computers and serious faces surrounding the table that now gazed at her, she could guess that this was a planning station. The moment she arrived; Laurence clicked his fingers and pointed at her, within moments a stool was brought to where she stood and without a word she climbed it. The second she was level with the others around the table she regarded the faces she saw. There was Laurence to her far left, and turning her head to the right from there she saw several animals, some regarding her with curiosity, and others with absolute disinterest. There was a tiger; built averagely and from the looks of things also very well pampered. A bear; large and muscular, probably one of the biggest bears she had ever seen. And to her far right she saw… an animal that she couldn't quite say what he was. It was certainly male… But had a mix of fur and the most perplexing shape of face. It had a long mouth, much like a fox, although it was rather round and a little stubbier in shape, not as stubby as her own though. And its fur, from what she could see, was a reddish orange from the top of his head, but it lightened into a yellow around his neck and she could swear she saw some spots peeking around the collar of his shirt. Forcing herself not to stare she looked down at a series of maps and equations scattered over the table before looking up at Laurence and asking, "What do you need me to do?"

Looking at the others surrounding the table, Laurence spoke up. "We need you to steal something from the Zootopia High Bank. And before you ask… No. We aren't sending you in there to collect money, if you haven't noticed money is the last thing we need right now." And Judy couldn't help but glance over at the posh Tiger who let out a healthy chuckle at Laurence's remark. "Go on." She said as her eyes shifted back to the leopard. "The item you are looking for is in vault 14, in there you will see aisles of shelves, and the shelves are filled with small safes. You need to locate safe number 7822 and open it. Your ZPD officer status will give you immediate access to the safe, so place your hand on 7822's hatch placed scanner and after it has scanned you it will open. You will then take the contents and walk out of the bank, climb into your cruiser and receive an escort by our animals back here to this warehouse." She felt her body tense for a moment as she was still not sure whether she could go through with it or not, but gazed up at Laurence and ignored the others whom all had eyes blazing into her; awaiting a response and she asked. "When do we leave?"

"Immediately." Was the response she got as she turned to look at the animal that had spoken and her fur stood on end; the strange creature that she had never seen before had spoken and it sounded almost as though two voices had been merged into one. It had a deep and monotonous growl as well as a sharp and crackly tinge to it. Suddenly she felt uneasy being so close to this creature and deep down she knew that this creature was far from natural in any way, shape or form. Her head snapped back to Laurence as he concluded "There you have it! We will see you when you get back."

* * *

Judy gripped the steering wheel of the cruiser as tightly as she could, her head slouched forward and her ears pricked outwards as she was in a serious state. This whole thing had been blown way out of proportion since she had originally anticipated it to be last night. What she originally thought to be a sadistic criminal from Nick's past had now turned out to be the head of a mercenary military force. They were guns for hire. Except they didn't need money and they weren't looking for work. So what does a large force of bad animals with a gross amount of weaponry do when they don't need buyers? Judy shuddered and let that thought go unfinished. Glancing ahead she saw a black vehicle with two tigers sitting smartly dressed inside. And glancing in her rear-view mirror she saw the same, except with bears. 'Once I am outside the bank they will leave me alone.' She reassured herself as she recited her plan. 'Walk in… Get to the vault… Get inside… And set the alarm off on purpose.' And looking forward as she had just driven into the city center, the brightness of the mid-morning sun causing a reflection of herself vaguely in the front window of her cruiser and she stared herself in the eye for only a moment as she spoke out loud to herself with a look of absolute seriousness upon her grey-furred face, "Then you save Nick before it's too late."

* * *

Judy walked through the revolving door at the entrance to the bank and the pleasant chill from the air-conditioned climate was a welcome change from both the stuffy room she and Nick had been placed in, as well as her cruiser that just wouldn't keep cool with her stressing out inside the whole way here. There was a quite hum of light conversation scattered about the large front room. The floor of entirely white marble, velvet ropes separating queues and brown; vintage styled benches for sitting had this bank nailed right down to the very stereotype of what a bank should look like. Judy had been here often enough but had never really noticed the calmness and neutral atmosphere as bankers worked while business folk and the working class went about their daily routines, but then again, she had never walked in here with the intent of robbing it either so that was a thought she was dealing with at the moment. While savoring the calmness that surrounded her, Judy's ears and eyes turned to the clicking of hooves on marble and saw an overly friendly, young doe walk up to her with a big smile upon her face. "Good morning Officer Hopps!" The young doe started almost too enthusiastically. Judy gave her a quick up and down glance; noticing the matching navy blue skirt and blazer, and the badge that sat on the blazer stating 'Sandy S. – Floor Manager'. Judy then returned the smile and responded, "Good morning to you too, I was wondering if you could help me?" The young floor manager giggled nervously and Judy felt a little tense at this, as she now realized that everything had better go down as predicted, or innocent lives could be at risk as well, not only Nick's. "Sure, anything for the hero of our city." The doe then answered while gesturing for Judy to follow her.

"Here we are. Vault 14. I'm needed out front but just give me a shout if you need anything." And with that the helpful doe almost skipped away; back down a long hallway of vaults to the front of the bank. Judy took one step inside the now opened vault and was overwhelmed by the rows upon rows of stacked steel safes. She started walking down the aisles, trying to find the very center of the vault where she could find the emergency alarm button. And find it she did. Walking down the middle aisle she approached a single, white marble pillar that rose right from the ground up, and touched the ceiling which appeared to be squares of glass that emitted light, but she knew that beyond the lights was a thick wall of steel, this was a top security vault after all. The button itself was red and pulsating and sat a little over her height on the pillar. Reaching up and out to press it she took a deep breath and said to herself, "It's what Nick wants." And then it caught her eye. To her left, stacked among the thousands of safes; the number 7822 screamed out at her. Her hand literally brushing against the button over her head as she stared blankly at the safe and whispered to herself "Safe 7822…" And in that moment she saw Nick, the first time they met in the ice-cream store, their first shared smile, touch, hug, tears, their first suggestive tease shared in the cruiser and their first and only kiss. The image of a battered and beaten Nick that smiled at her to reassure her that she was doing the right thing stained her mind and eyes. And Judy slowly lowered her hand from the button. She can't push the button that will kill Nick. She could see it in his face when they bonded the previous night that he was ready to die. He had accepted his fate, but she could not. She had tried fooling herself into hoping that he could be saved, but he could not. Deep down she knew that the second an alarm goes off; Laurence and his crew will be notified and Nick will be killed. And after solidifying the way she and Nick felt for each other last night; Judy was going to create a third option in her dilemma. She was going to play them all, she was going to give them what they wanted, save Nick, and put a stop to this madness before anyone got hurt.

Placing her hand against the scanner on the safe, it opened within moments after relaying her name out loud to her in a robotic voice. Reaching in and pulling out the object of all this fuss; which was a completely black box that resembled the shape of an external hard drive, but had no markings, holes or extrusions on it. It was a solid, black piece of metal. Not thinking on it any further, Judy simply shut the safe, placed the item in question into her back pocket and walked out of the vault. She was now forming her own little plan. And it started with a single question that for the first time since last night had put a sly little smirk on her face; 'What would Nick do?'

* * *

 **EASTER EGGS.**

(This has no actual correlation to the actual story. It is a little gift from me to you on this wonderful Easter)

"Hey there!" Judy shouted cheerily as she skipped forward. She was carrying a basket full of colorful Easter eggs and was ironically hopping around in a bunny designed onesie. Waving as she continued, "You! Yes you, Reader. Happy Easter. We..." She let herself trail off as she grunted and stomped off to the right, before suddenly pulling Nick into the picture, he was looking less than pleased in his own bunny themed onesie. Happy with Nick where he was she continued, "We hope you all have a wonderful Easter and eat lots of goodies and just have a wonderful time!"

Nick who was sulking with his arms crossed suddenly caught an idea, winked in your direction before creeping a little closer to Judy. "I must thank you for having me put this _fantastic_ outfit on Judy." The word fantastic sounding extremely sarcastic. "It makes me wonder, why a bunny is the one giving out the eggs? I mean, where do the eggs even come from?" And finishing his question he quickly grabbed her tail causing a startled squeak to emit from her now gritted teeth. Her ears standing totally straight and her fur on edge at the sudden invasion caused Nick to laugh and Judy to blush. That is before she smacked him right across the head with the basket. Causing him to fall right down onto his back with a thud.

Regaining her composure Judy walks forward and hands you an egg, before stepping back and grabbing Nick by the foot. "Have a happy Easter!" She states cheerfully with a basket in one arm and Nick's foot in the other as she drags him off. His devilish smirk and a subtle wave in your direction as Judy drags him off is the last thing you see of them.

 **HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER AND SEE YOU IN CHAPTER 5!**

Un4gottenSOUL


	5. Stick to the plan!

'What would Judy do?' Nick mentally questioned himself as he lay curled up on the mattress, his ears flinched as he heard someone shuffling outside and trying different keys in the door. His back facing said door he smiled to himself as he thought, 'Here we go. If my little DB has done as asked then this will all be over with soon.' "And I'm not going down without a fight." He whispered out loud to himself as he took a deep breath and pretended to sleep.

A single jaguar opened the door and walked in. "What the hell." He spoke out loud when hearing his feet splash through a puddle on the concrete floor and looked down to see the wet ground. Shrugging it off he walked over to the fox that lay resting and placed his hand on Nick's shoulder to shake and wake him up. Nick made his move.

Turning himself as quick as his tired body would allow him; Nick lashed out with Judy's jeans. He had tied one of the legs into a ball and soaked it with water to add weight while swinging it from the other leg. He hit the jaguar square on the jaw causing him to recoil and fall onto the ground. Nick had to work fast and quietly. He rolled off of the mattress and on top of the stunned jaguar who was quickly regaining his bearings. Sitting on the jaguar's chest and his legs to pinning the jaguar's arms to the ground, Nick placed the soaked pair of jeans as best as he could over his opponents mouth to choke him out. Seconds felt like hours as Nick fought his aching body's impulses to cave in and let the jaguar over power him, but after what seemed like forever, Nick's opponent's struggling became less intense, and faded, and faded, until Nick was certain that he had passed out. To be sure he had done no real damage Nick felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one in his unconscious foe. "Hey!" He heard someone shout, and looked out the door to see two more jaguars now running his way. "And there goes that plan." He said to himself as he dashed for the door; pulling the keys out of the one side, closing the door and locking it from the inside.

"Okay…" Nick started while looking around the room frantically, the other guards now bashing against the door. "Less thinking like Judy and more thinking like Nick." And finishing that thought he hurried over to the unconscious jaguar and removed its bulletproof jacket, holstered pistol and belt. Nick then clipped on the bulletproof jacket and threaded the belt through his trousers. He'd spent the last several hours in nothing other than trousers on so it felt good to have something over his torso, even if it hurt his wounds a little. He then pulled the gun from its holster that now sat at his waist and checked the loaded 6mm clip. Seeing the lethal rounds that were loaded caused him to cringe and sigh as he forced back old and untold memories that he had wished for the longest time he would never have to relive.

Laurence pushed through the growing group of soldiers crowded around the door that led to Nick, at the center of forty odd soldiers that had gathered; two bears were arguing as to what should be done while the original two jaguars continued to bash against the door. Rolling his eyes; Laurence stepped forward and shoved the two bears that were arguing out of his way with surprising ease, considering they towered above him, he repeated the process again only this time pulling his own two jaguars back and away from the door, both landing hard on the ground. Now that Laurence stood in front of the door alone, looking as though he genuinely betrayed his slick and clean character with the slight show of strength. He cleared his throat, composed himself and gently knocked on the door. "Oh Nick!" The sadistic leopard started cheerfully. Immediately a gunfire shot could be heard from within the room and Laurence flinched back slightly as a dent sudden appeared through the steel door aimed at where he stood. The door having stopped a round of fire that would have hit him. Immediately guns were raised from the soldiers around him and aimed at the door, but the leopard simply raised his hand to show that they must hold and he continued to speak through the door to Nick.

Holding a smoking gun; Nick stared dead straight at the door, his mind running wild with different scenarios and outcomes. He knew that pulling that trigger was a mistake, but that was the little bit of Judy coming out of him and he had no regrets at this point. "I'm going to pretend you didn't do that!" Laurence could be heard shouting from the other side of the door. "If you come out now, the deal can still go as planned and you and your little bunny friend can walk away." "Like hell…" Nick whispered out loud as he exhaled and steadied his aim, his training in the academy making him quiet the marksman. Pressing the trigger he fired the gun again, his shot hitting the first bullet he fired dead center causing it to be pushed further into the steel door and the nub of the first bullet to peak through on the other side.

"Okay that's enough, GREG!" Laurence shouted, and suddenly all the soldiers who stood around the door shuffled off to the side as from across the warehouse a steel chair could be heard screeching upon concrete as the giant bear that sat at the planning table stood up with a low grunt, and began walking towards the leopard in charge.

"Greg…" Repeated Nick with wide eye as he stared at the door and holstered his gun. "This can work." He said to himself while nodding and weighing out his narrowing group of options, before hurrying over to the door and gripping the handle as tight as he could; pressing his full weight against the door, back first.

The massive bear called Greg looked down at Laurence with a vacant stare and a look of absolute disinterest. "Greg, would you be a pal and let our friend Nick out of his confines?" Sighing loudly the bear turned to the door and gripped the door handle and a low growl came from his stomach, up his throat and out as a shout of strain as he tugged hard on the door. At first the steel door groaned in protest, it then bent from the pressure and within moments Greg the mighty bear had pulled it clean from the hinges and flung it over his head, halfway across the warehouse.

Laurence rushed into the room, followed by a group of the soldiers who were crowded outside; guns at the ready. Glancing side to side he then spoke out loud, "Where the hell." His head then spun around and his eyes grew wide as across the warehouse he saw the bent metal door raised up at an angle and start moving toward the exit. "Nick!" he shouted while pointing and running in the slippery fox's direction and all the soldiers around him followed suit.

Limping more than running; Nick was moving as fast as he could, using the door that he still held onto for dear life as cover while it rested on his back, 'not a bad idea' he thought to himself as the sound of lead ricocheting off of concrete around him and nearby gunfire could be heard echoing through the warehouse.

"Don't shoot the damn vermin! Catch him!" Laurence shouted out; his rage tearing his voice as it reached a level of volume he really didn't like it going. "I need him alive!" And as he finished saying that a tiger running next to him accidentally let off a burst of rifle rounds in the moving steel door's direction, which quickly led Laurence to snatch it from the tiger and smack him in the face with the butt of his own gun.

"Come on!" Nick shouted to himself as he ran to the engulfing light of one of the open garage doors of the warehouse. Greg the mighty bear must have thrown him and the door an easy 30 meters across the warehouse which gave him a good lead, but the fox could feel that his current limping state would get him caught before he could taste daylight. Nick had the luck of a fox, dumb luck for the most part, so the fact that he made it this far was a miracle on its own. "One point for the fox, zero for the baddies…" He stated to himself through short breathes as he was getting close to his goal, now running through a bunch of the parked military vehicles. "Time to make it two points to zero." He finished while un-holstering his gun and he began blind firing behind him, his bullets striking and bouncing off of the various military hardware behind him and causing many of the soldiers in pursuit to duck and slow down.

Laurence; who was also forced to duck behind one of the vehicles to narrowly miss a shot, suddenly heard a doubled voice call out "This has gone on long enough!" And almost faster than the leopards eye could follow; the strange creature of red, orange and yellow fur bolted past him, weaving between the vehicles and closing in on Nick fast.

Hearing that voice in the distance behind him sent a shiver up the fox's spine as he had had one encounter with this creature before and it was not pleasant. However his encounter did leave him with valuable knowledge as Nick decided that if he was to die right now, then he would die taking out this demon of a creature with him. Dropping the steel door gave him, the speed and accuracy boost he would need as he was now a mere 3-5 meters away from the exit, to his far right he saw the helicopter that had been toed in and beyond it a crate of fuel. He had been counting his shots thus far and he knew that from a full magazine... he had one bullet left.

The strange creature had weaved through the mess of vehicles and was closing in on Nick fast, unlike other animals that were running on two feet, he took a more primitive approach and was running on both hands and feet. He was in tune with his environment and could smell the fear he was causing on both the soldiers he had over taken and Nick who was now within pouncing range. Stopping for only a moment to crouch low and stare straight at his target, tuning out the sound and images around him and focusing only on the limping fox, he readied himself for the launch. Just before he left the ground from his pounce he pulled himself back and stumbled, as from the corner of his eye a burst of light appeared and rapidly grew in size. Flashes from his past ran through his mind and between the growing heat of an explosion and fire he turned and cowered away from the blaze, making as much distance between it and himself as was possible in the warehouse.

The explosion from the shot sent Nick forward and tumbling out of the warehouse, nearly singed from the heat; he could feel his wounds suddenly sparking into painful protest from the discomfort as he rolled on the dirt. The sudden rush of light after spending so much time in the dark caused him to shut his eyes from the irritation as they battled to adjust. Adrenaline forcing him to his feet; the fox stumbled blindly forward as fast as he could, wondering into the vast forestry of the rain forest district.

* * *

Heart pounding out of his chest and deep empty breaths caused Nick to stop running and throw his head back. Sweaty, dirty and full of pain; the fox had been running through the wild bush for what seemed like forever away from the warehouse and parallel to the only road out of this hellish place. He used this opportunity to gather his thoughts as well as himself; if he hadn't been caught by now then they weren't pursuing him. Looking back at the warehouse and seeing a steady stream of black smoke rising from it gave him a sense of relief. And then a thought struck him. 'I need him alive!' Nick played that line on repeat in his head, Laurence's words striking him hard as he realized something. "They didn't want me dead… that means…" The fox's thought was left unfinished as through the forestry he heard vehicles, running over and peeking around some trees he had a clear visual on the road, and he saw Judy's cruiser headed back to the warehouse. "No… No Judy no! That wasn't the plan!" Nick needed to get back as fast as his legs would carry him, so he turned and ignoring his fatigue he began to run once more. "Why didn't you trust me and do what I told you to?"

* * *

Judy parked the cruiser and stepped out, she gazed curiously as animals ran frantically around the smoking mess of tattered metal that had been a helicopter, but she tried to look indifferent to the matter. She had gone full 'Nick' mode as she would like to call it. And her little acted faded away almost immediately as a stressed out and scruffy looking Laurence marched towards her fuming with a finger pointed right at her. "You'd better have exactly what I want or else!"

Judy hesitated for a moment before reaching into her pocket and pulling out the black box and holding it with an out stretched hand to the angry jaguar. "Right here." Is all the bunny said. And Laurence immediately snatched it from her, giving it a quick glance over as though to check its authenticity, although Judy saw no point to that, this item had nothing to make it distinguishable as anything other than a small black box.

The jaguar's anger seemed to fade a little as his jaw turned into that villainous grin again for just a moment before he let his face rest neutral once more; he looked at Judy and indicated with his head that she should follow.

Falling in line behind Laurence Judy glanced over to see that most of the smoke had been put out and the commotion was now winding down as many of these animals were cleaning up or returning to their posts. Looking forward once more Judy then stated, "You have what you want. Now let Nick and I go." And with his head turned away from her; Laurence's face split into a massive grin as it then became clear to him. This stupid little bunny didn't even know what had happened, at first he thought that both the fox and bunny had somehow planned this whole thing, but it seems that Nick's escape was dumb luck and this officer was in fact as blatant as he had read her to be. "I'll take you to him just now, but first I want to show you something."

Once walking passed the vehicles, a few of which had taken minor damage but most of which were still in perfect condition, they headed straight for the table. Gazing at his anxious comrades that sat around the planning table Laurence stated, "I just want to show Officer Hopps something that we have been working on before we take her to Nick." And immediately the mood around the table lightened as they realized what was going on. And with their ease, Judy was suddenly feeling uneasy.

Laurence then walked around the table and placed the black box on top of a very specialized looking machine that seemed to illuminate the small object when coming in contact with it, which then began to make a slow humming sound as it kicked into life and a holographic percentage counter was suddenly illuminating out of the top of the machine. And it started to count up from one percent. "I believe you are quiet familiar with the 'Night Howler' effect." Stated Laurence in a questioning manner as he came forward again and rested his arms on the table, gazing down at Judy.

Her ears and tail tensed at the mention and her hands clenched into tight fists. "Unfortunately, yes. It was Nick and I who solved that case."

"Yes, that's right!" responded Laurence all too enthusiastically for Judy's comfort regarding the topic that they now spoke of. "You see, when a predator goes primal, it's natural strength and endurance can go up by anything between three hundred and five hundred percent! However, the predator that goes savage and loses their civilized mind set. But imagine if they didn't have to lose that civilized aspect of themselves and could remain so strong?" And suddenly Judy's eyes grew wide and her ears fell behind her head in disbelief at what she was hearing. "What if we found a way to make such a dream a reality?" Continued Laurence while taking a step back and patting the machine that now displayed a progress completion of over thirty percent.

"What if the hero of Zootopia had just handed me the final piece to building my army of super predators?"

* * *

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED THIS STORY._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 **MAYLINN17**

 **SELENE MOONSTAR**

 _ **DIRTKID123**_

 **ZENITH88**

 **RAINBOW USERNAME**

 _ **DANNY-171984**_

 _ **JPEZCANDY**_

 _AND **WHITEEFOXCLAW1990**_

 _FOR LEAVING YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK, IT REALLY MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL CONCERNING THE STORY._

 _NOT TO SPOIL THE FUN BUT A COUPLE OF YOU WERE VERY CLOSE TO ONE OF THE TURN-AROUND POINTS THAT THIS STORY WILL TAKE BY CHAPTER 7 AND SOME OF YOU GAVE ME SOME PRETTY AWESOME AND SOUND IDEAS THAT I HOPE YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE WHEN I WORK THEM INTO FUTURE CHAPTERS. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!_

 _PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU DETECT ANY ERRORS OR FEEL THAT THE STORY CAN BE IMPROVED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, MY GOAL IS TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE FANFICTION FOR_ _ **YOU!**_

Un4gottenSOUL


	6. Tick-Tock - Time's Almost Up

"You're lying!" Judy shouted at Laurence from around the table. "All traces and research on the Night Howler's effect on animals was ceased and destroyed and deemed illegal by Mayor Lionheart himself…" And the angered little bunny was cut off by Laurence who again came forward to lean on the table. "Who if I am correct; tried to cover up the whole thing and denied any actual involvement in the whole thing? Is that the same mayor we are talking about? Oh come on Officer! Do you really think that someone like Lionheart; whose reputation has been built on power and obscurity would really let such a profitable substance slip through his fingers?" He then leaned further forward over the table and feigned a look of discomfort at Judy as he taunted, "Then you truly know nothing of the city you claim to love."

Judy had heard enough, and before any of the others around the table could react she had hopped on top of it and was making a go at Laurence. She was quicker than any that sat at that table, save for the 'Creature' as she had come to mentally title it; who before she even knew what was happening had had a firm grip on one of her legs, and as she tried to make a jump off of the table and onto Laurence he pulled down on her leg hard, forcing her flat on the table stomach first with a grunt from the force. The Creature then hopped on the table himself and flipped Judy over, using both of his arms to pin hers and Judy could not even struggle. Before when she had been restrained by Laurence's men she could at least thrash about, but this creature that was only slightly larger than Nick, had a supernatural strength about it.

"I won't let this happen!" Judy shouted out while being held still to the point where she couldn't move at all. "In any case we have a deal! Nick and I walk away from this, so take me to him and we will be leaving."

Laurence who had been forced to take a step back at the sudden display right in front of him stepped forward again. "Yeah, about that…" He started while un-holstering a gun from underneath his shirt and pointing it right at Judy's head. "Nick seems to have 'run off' and left quite the mess behind him." Suddenly Judy's eyes shifted from staring down the barrel of her imminent doom, to the pile of metal that had once been a helicopter at the other side of the warehouse. "Nick?" She whispered underneath her breath, and a million different thoughts began to flood her head.

"Now between the grief that that fox of yours has caused me, past and present, I don't plan on letting him live anymore. Also, I can't let you go because you'd just run off and tell the world and even though at this point the whole world probably couldn't stop us, we'd rather not find out. So Officer Hopps, you get the honour of being the first to die for this cause, and you can get added to the list of animals Nick has gotten killed."

Behind the scene of commotion the machine still hummed along, it's counter now reading fifty-five percent.

* * *

Chief Bogo pushed through a large bushel as he made his way through the forestry on foot. Flexing his shoulders from the weight of his special forces armour and the assault rifle he held in his hands, he gazed ahead of himself into the never ending forest and looked up into the sky, there had been steady and thick stream of smoke in the air not too long ago, but now that it was gone he had to use his gut feeling that he was headed in the right direction. He then looked behind himself and let out a low and subtle whistle, one that could easily be mistaken as 'just another jungle noise', but to ZPD's twenty-three best officers it was a clear signal and they emerged from seemingly nowhere and crowded around their chief.

Looking around at his finest; Chief Bogo gave a nod in approval, seeing them all kitted out as himself, black boots, black trousers, black jackets, camouflaged-bullet proof vests and camouflaged helmets. The only thing separating him from his men was the two narrow red rings that circled the right bicep of his jacket, this served purely so that they could recognise their leader when in a flurry of battle, and that is exactly what Bogo expected to find at their destination.

Bogo then crouched down and his men did the same, gazing at each one of them in regard for a moment, he made note of the diversity before him; from bear, to wolf and hound, to the otter and the pig. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde had broken new grounds when they had not only joined the force but proven to be two of Bogo's finest, and today he stared at each of his most loyal and trustworthy animals with equal respect for taking up the task that lay before them. He would gladly put his life in any of their hands and know he would be safe.

"Alright…" He started in a low tone, trying to adjust everyone into a somewhat stealthy manner as he assumed they were getting close to their destination. "I'll go through the situation one last time for some of the 'slower' animals here today. I asked for twenty-five of Zootopia's finest and instead I get only twenty-three. And that is because today we are not only saving Zootopia, not only saving everything we uphold and believe in, but we are saving two of our comrades; Officers Wilde and Hopps." Glancing around he saw silent nods of agreement coming from his entire squad, and then Chief Bogo continued. He relayed the essential details of how less than two hours ago he received classified footage of Judy gaining access to vault fourteen and stealing the encoded recipe and entire database knowledge of an undisclosed chemical weapon. He also touched on how when trying to track Judy's cruiser back to its destination; that conveniently all the traffic cameras were down, making Bogo believe that whomever was behind all of this had an inside animal in the department. Also were it not Judy's clever little idea to do morse-code with her ears when passing specific cameras in the bank then they wouldn't be in this jungle right now. "We don't know why Officer Hopps has taken what she has, but she would not have lead us here had she no reason to. With both Hopps and Wilde unreachable we can assume that they have either gone rogue or are in serious danger. So we are going to play the situation as though it could go either way."

Bogo held his gun forward as he moved on to his final piece of information for his squad, "Each of your guns has been equipped with one extended magazine of sedative rounds, and strapped to each of your jackets is five standard magazines of lethal rounds." He let his gun rest against him once more as he continued, "Remember that as part of the ZPD it is your duty to uphold your vows and never use lethal force until absolutely necessary, so make that extended sedative magazine last as long as you can, if you are still required to shoot after that magazine is finished then you have full permission to retaliate incoming fire with your own lethal rounds." Standing up and looking down at his crouched unit he raised his voice slightly and stated, "Let's go save our city and our comrades." And without waiting for a response, Chief Bogo turned once more and continued his cautious trek through the forest.

* * *

Nick crouched behind one of the last trees that broke into the clearing that was where the warehouse stood. The now midday sun beaming down on the forest district had Nick sweaty and uncomfortable on top of stressed, exhausted and full of pain. With both hands resting on the tree's trunk and his body leaned against it to lessen his visibility, Nick brought his tail around and over his head to shade his eyes as he surveyed the area ahead of him.

Between him and the warehouse stood 200 meters of open area that would obviously in most cases be used for parking or loading, but with the animals Nick knew were involved, it was a perfect dividing area for dispatching your criminal militia. He could vaguely make out the 5 main open garage doors on the warehouse itself and knew that within it was all he cared about; Judy. He needed to get back in there, but couldn't risk running across such a large open area, and any small chance of that happening suddenly vanished as the fox caught a reflection of the sun in his eye and he was blinded momentarily. Looking out to where the glimmer was coming from, he saw it was from the roof of the warehouse and Nick was forced to curse under his breath. They had snipers on the roof top.

They must have really wanted Nick alive to let him get away like that. He was such an easy target at so many points through his escape that he got an immediate headache when thinking about it. The fox closed his eyes for only a moment to reflect upon how Laurence had said that he was going to ruin Nick's life before killing him and he knew that that would probably mean him having to watch Judy get hurt or worse. He could walk back in right now and he probably would not get shot at, but no, Nick needed that element of surprise. Taking out his empty pistol and looking at it with a blank expression, Nick backed his way back into the thick of the forest. He needed to think up a plan, and fast.

* * *

Laurence pulled the trigger and a shot fired out of his gun, smoke trickling from the tip he smiled as his point had been made. There was now a small hole in the table next to where Judy's head rested and suddenly she went quiet and stopped her ranting; that was as close as warning shots come. "You know I have to say Hopps, that after the grief you gave me last night I really want to kill you, and I am going to. However it's just no fun without a certain fox to watch me scatter your head across this table." Laurence then shrugged at his companions around the table as he holstered his firearm, "Also I don't want to get our maps bloody, a few holes in them are fine, but blood would ruin the poor things." Looking over to the machine what was still ticking away, Laurence shouted to all who were in the warehouse, "Seventy Percent!"

And all the animals that were in the warehouse suddenly fell in line, as though they were proper military. Turning her head as far as she could, Judy could make out fifteen rows of ten animals and down each row walked a jaguar handing out a small, glowing band like item to each of them, which Judy couldn't really properly make out and determine what they were. Turning her head Judy saw all those around the table also take out these illuminated blue bands and place one around each of their left wrists.

Laurence held one out to the creature that restrained Judy, "Last chance X." And Judy made note of the name. The creature titled X almost growled as it spoke in its doubled over voice, "For the last time; I want no part in your sick biological manipulation, all I want is the end results of what we agreed upon."

Unable to physically retort, Judy scoffed and chirped in stating, "Yeah good luck with that, I don't know you guys too well, but you don't seem to be very good at holding agreements." And she was quickly caused to cringe in discomfort as this X creature suddenly applied pressure to where he held her arms while he replied, "Shut it, prey." And Laurence was forced to laugh, "Well said Hopps, although I wouldn't be cracking jokes right now if I were you. In any case, don't forget the abomination you are, X." X then looked up and glared at Laurence as the jaguar went on, "There is nothing normal about you as it stands, but a deal is a deal."

The machine's number rolled on to seventy-one and Laurence glanced at it before sighing, "The last thirty percent is always the longest."

Being the inquisitive bunny that she was, and at this point literally just poking fun at her imminent demise, she flicked up one of her ears and used it to tap X on his oddly shaped face, causing him to snap from glaring at Laurence, to staring down at her. Staring deep into his eyes Judy noticed something, although from a glance you wouldn't have noticed; his two eyes were definitely different colours. His left eye leaning towards an olive sort of green and his right eye leaning towards a murky yellow, you had to really stare to notice the difference.

Smiling innocently up at him and using one of her ears to scratch her head, Judy prompted, "So, uh, since this is probably going to take a while and time seems ever so much longer when you're waiting to be killed, would you mind explaining the actually process of what's going on here?" The look of anger disappeared from X's face as it rested neutrally, or as close to anything that's naturally neutral, Judy thought. X raised its head and looked at Laurence before asking, "Care to explain to the girl?"

Shrugging once more Laurence replied, "I don't see the harm in it, and it's as good a reason as any to try and drum the idea of this into Greg's thick head again." The giant bear sat across the table with a vacant stare. "My point proves itself." Laurence finished before taking a deep breath as he then paced circles around the table.

"You know what is on the device you brought me, but you have no idea how the device works. Well it has been specially programmed to respond only to a specific electrical frequency, the slightest variation to that frequency and Boom!" The jaguar made a show of an explosion using his hands, "The device blows up. The machine it rests on has two very specific purposes. One; to replicate the required frequency to unlock the code, and two; to respond to biological contact. Each of our wrist bands it synchronized with the machine, so the second it is one hundred percent unlocked, it will upload the information to our bands, and the bands will feed small electro pulses into our bodies and apply the information from the device."

Stopping his pacing between where Judy lay on the table and the machine, Laurence finished by stating, "Look, there is a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo to it all, but just know that whatever biological organism is connected to that machine when it hits one hundred percent, will receive all the genetic knowledge it needs to master near limitless physical power."

Judy's eyes went wide with horror as she crunched the numbers in her head, over one hundred and fifty animals with a near limitless potential for strength growth could cause devastation, and she was sure it would not stop with the animals here today, but grow, and grow fast.

Removing a set of cuffs that were attached to Judy's utensil belt; with one arm X lifted the bunny and placed her on one of the steel chairs around the table, and before she could even lash out he had her hands cuffed behind it, the chain of the cuffs weaved through the back rest bars which left Judy little to no room for struggle. Walking behind the chair she was now restrained to, X grabbed the chair from the back and started to drag it.

"Where are you taking me?" Judy demanded to know.

"I'm half fox, just so you know." The strange mixed creature began while dragging Judy away from the table, a huge and obnoxious smile from Laurence while he waved goodbye to her was all she needed to know that she was off to a bad place right now. "I need to use that part of me to get our friend Nick back here right now, because the other half of me is cheetah, and that part of me can't stand waiting anymore." He let the chair rest and Judy now noticed that she was back in the room she and Nick had been locked in. "If you want something done right, you'd best do it yourself." He then walked out the room for only a moment, just to walk back in with a microphone attached to a stand and placed it in front of the bunny, adjusting it lower to her height. Judy's eyes followed the cord of the microphone as it went out of the room before looking at X questioningly. "I hope you have a good radio voice, prey." He stated bluntly as he started to walk circles around her. "What I am about to do… Don't take it personally; after all, I like to play with my food."

And after flicking the microphone on, within the blink of an eye Judy felt immense pain from her stomach, and looked down to find X's fist pressed hard against it. "Now we get to see what your time with Nick has done to him." X stated while reeling his fist back for another blow, "Is he still a fox, or does he actually care."

The sound of fist meeting flesh could be heard all over the warehouse and was projected even outside the warehouse by numerous speakers alone with grunts and whimpers from Judy as she was struck again and again. Her discomfort was projected for everyone to hear, but seemingly no one to help.

And somewhere in that warehouse, a machine with a very specific purpose ticked on eighty percent.

* * *

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED THIS STORY._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 ** _DARKWARRIOR860_**

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _FRIO4686_**

 ** _JPEZCANDY_**

 ** _RAINBOW USERNAME_**

 ** _FANTASYEVER_**

 ** _JAREL KORTAN_**

 _AND_ ** _NUNZIO_**

 _FOR LEAVING YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK, IT REALLY MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL CONCERNING THE STORY._

I AM REALLY SORRY THAT THIS ONE CAME THIS LATE, from now on EACH CHAPTER IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE AT LEAST 4000 WORDS LONG (THUS THIS BEING PART ONE OF TWO). AND I WILL DEFINITELY RELEASE THEM MORE OFTEN, WITH MORE REFINED DETAILS, AND JUST MORE OF EVERYTHING. THE STORY IS DEVELOPING FASTER THAN I CAN WRITE IT AND I PROMISE THAT EVERYTHING UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAS JUST BEEN A WARM UP FOR SOMETHING SO MUCH DEEPER. AFTER ALL... HOW CAN YOU SPELL **TRUST** WITHOUT **US**.

Thank you all for your continued support

Un4gottensoul


	7. Tick-Tock - Dwindling Faith

Nick lay down in the middle of the dirt road, he wasn't asleep, but it felt good to relax. This dirt road was the only way in and out of this secluded area for a good thirty minutes worth of driving. The sun beat down on him, and he didn't mind it actually, after a whole night of cold, dark and damp surroundings he took solace in the warm and comforting embrace given by the hot afternoon sun. He scooped up a handful of dirt and let the sand run out through the bottom of his closed fist, the thousands of individual grains could have easily representing the many thoughts going through his mind as he lay there waiting for his latest plan to kick into action.

Seeing some of the dirt clinging to the fur on his hand caused him to dust it off with his other. When suddenly from his resting position he heard something that caused his ears to flex. "It's time." He said to himself while carefully sitting up to avoid the pain from his wounds. For the last five minutes the fox had heard sounds in the distance, echoes coming from sound amplifiers, although it was too muffled and distant for him to properly make out what it actually was. What had caused him to sit up was the fact that the sound was becoming clearer and quickly, which could only mean that a car was headed down the winding dirt road.

Sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, his hands out behind him in the dirt to hold himself upright and his tail swishing behind him to cool his back; the fox waited as in the distance a vehicle could be seen coming towards him.

As it grew closer, Nick could start to make out some of the features on the vehicle. It was a standard all-terrain vehicle and black in colour; much like the many he had seen and run passed back at the warehouse. There was a long pole; easily two meters tall, extending from the back of it and attached to this pole were two fairly large speakers. They were now close enough that Nick could hear exactly what was being amplified on the speakers, which caused the fox to clench his fists in the dirt behind him. They had just crossed a final line with Nick, and something within him snapped. It was like he had been stacking boxes of secrets and obscurities about his past for almost two years, every day adding another box to the stack, and as the stack grew taller he had gotten a little better at hiding his past self from Judy and everyone he cared about. But within the last fifteen hours; the stack of boxes in his mind had become very unstable and now…

They just pulled the very bottom box free from the stack.

Nick kept a straight face.

The car came to a halt a few meters ahead of Nick. A tiger stepped out of the driver's side and a jaguar from the passenger side.

Their steps towards Nick flicking up small clouds of dust as they approached the smaller fox.

"Well, well, will you look at that, isn't it so much easier when…" The jaguar has started, but his voice faded out as Nick's ears were tuning into the sound of Judy being attacked on the speaker. The sound of the jungle around the fox faded out until he felt as though he were floating through a black void with only the sound of Judy being assaulted surrounding and flooding his mind.

"… So I think we've earned ourselves a little punching party before we turn the scoundrel in." The jaguar finished as both of the mercenaries closed in on Nick with readied fists. Most of what the larger predator had been saying was lost on Nick as his mind was in a very dark place, but with the incoming attack he suddenly snapped out of it and was once more aware of his surroundings.

As soon as the mercenaries were within punching range of Nick, as fast as his worn arms could; he flung his arms forward and opened his fists, thus releasing clouds of dirt in his opponents eyes causing them to cower back and regain themselves. It took Nick what felt like an eternity to get back on his feet, but the second he was up; his whole body had a new found energy.

He quickly assessed the task before himself, and caught a glimpse of the tiger regaining himself and reaching for a holstered pistol. Thinking fast Nick took out his own empty pistol and threw it at the large and striped animal, causing it to stumble and fall back onto its rear and raise both of its hands to its head in pain from where the empty gun had struck him. At this point the jaguar had recovered and was shouting in sheer rage as it charged full speed at Nick, the fox then jumped and spun himself around three hundred and sixty degrees, before landing low in a crouch, buffing his shoulder in his opponent's direction. This move achieved two things, his tail struck the jaguar in the face, and a whole bunch of lodged dirt in Nick's tail's fur landed right in his enemies eyes; blinding him once more. Secondly; while blinded and still running forward at full speed, the jaguar tumbled right over Nick and wound up catching a face full of dirt as well as dropping his guard and his pride.

Quickly getting up from his crouch; Nick's hands fumbled over the downed jaguar until he found what he was looking for. Standing up and aiming for only a second with a pistol that he had relieved the jaguar of; Nick fired a shot and hit his intended target.

The tiger's eyes went wide with horror as he stared at his hand, only a moment ago he had been holding a radio device to call for back up, and Nick had shot it right out of his hand before he could get the first word through the receiver.

Nick placed one of his feet on the jaguar that lay where he stood to discourage any movement, lest the animal desired to get shot with the same, deadly precise aim. Aiming right at the tiger, Nick prompted for him to stand and walk, which he did with the same wide eyes and utter silence he had when Nick had fired his shot. "Move." Was all Nick said; as he indicated with his gun that the tiger should move towards the fox's left and towards the forestry. The tiger obliged. Removing his foot from the jaguar and taking a step back while re-evaluating his aim downwards, Nick demanded that the animal got up and slowly walked towards the tiger. The jaguar now too obliged.

"You! Tiger! Drop your gun and kick it towards me." Nick shouted while toggling his steady aim between his two defenseless opponents. The tiger had no choice but to do as he was told.

With zero emotion Nick took a deep and aim-steadying breath as suddenly the two animals that had tried to apprehend him began to beg for their lives.

There was screaming and begging for only a moment before two gun shots rang through the air. And Nick suddenly felt colder.

It was a slow walk to the vehicle for Nick, his mind stuck in what seemed like a sort of limbo as he sat down in the driver's seat. He threw the tiger's pistol onto the chair next to him and the pistol he had just used up onto the dash board. His thoughts were as vague as the last trickle of smoke that seeped out of the end of the barrel. He started the car and turned it around, driving back from where the vehicle came. And slowly the world around him started to come back to him, now with the sound of Judy's torture being amplified over the speaker which now sat right behind him. Nick was able to push back any doubts and continue with his end goal.

Nick felt a tear run down his cheek as he heard Judy almost plea 'NO!' over the speaker.

* * *

Judy was strong, and could take a beating with ease. But it was the inconsistency of X's blows that she could not take. He would hit her in rapid repetition for a minute or so, then only hit her once or twice every few minutes, and he only targeted her gut, nowhere else, which Judy though was strange.

That was before he introduced his new tactic. "Let's play a game." X started as he made circles around Judy while rubbing his warmed up fists. She was drenched in perspiration and out of breath from trying to withstand the might of the strong and fast creature's attacks. "I want to see if I can get you to beg for Nick to come and save you, before you suffocate." And suddenly the evil creature was right in on top of her, one of his hands wrapped firmly around her grey furred neck, not restricting her breathing, but firm enough that Judy knew he could snap her neck if he desired to. With his other hand he grabbed the Microphone off of the stand and placed it flat against Judy's cheek, a physical reminder that all she had to do to get out of her discomfort was to call out to Nick for help.

But Judy was a proud bunny, "No!" She shouted as well as she could, and slowly she felt X begin to apply pressure to her neck. Her eyes began to water from the restraint and the bunny began to shake her head from side to side as well as she could with the microphone pressed up against her.

"Give in little bunny, and do as you're told." Commanded X, with his doubled voice sounding more sly than ever as his grip tightened even more and he brought the microphone around and pressed it against Judy's lips before staring into her now growing-distant eyes and whispering, "Do it."

Her ears which had been twitching above her head, flexing and un-flexing rapidly had started to go limp and the world around her started to go dark as Judy could feel the pressure getting to her throat as her mind cried for oxygen. In a final and desperate attempt she did the only thing she could do; she mustered up as much effort as she could and strained against X's crushing hand. She opened her mouth and bit down on the hand that held the microphone as hard as she could. Her long bunny teeth penetrating the flesh on one of his fingers and then a sudden taste of copper filled her mouth.

Calmly and carefully; X released his grip on her neck, so not to do any further damage, and used that hand to pat Judy on the head as he slowly forced his other, bloody hand free from her clenched jaw. Setting the microphone back on the stand and giving her head one final pat, Judy's stunned shock at his response was sent over the edge when he then smiled at her, and it was a more horrifying expression than any she had seen in her life. It was cold, clinical, factual and empty.

Walking over to the sink where he had placed a few items in it prior to bringing Judy into this room, X spoke out so she could hear him. "A very good try, prey. Unfortunately I have been beaten to near death so many times in my life that I no longer understand the feeling of pain other than something as common as tasting bad food or drinking something slightly foul. I've even come to understand the educational merit to pain as a methodology to get a point across." He then walked back in front of her and held up a mirror so that she could see her face. "

Judy's jaw fell open and her eyes grew wide as she saw what she could only refer to as a 'wild and savage beast' staring back at her. "Now I'll admit that my method works better on predators, but look at the master piece I have still managed to create!" X spoke with pride as he stepped forward with the mirror for Judy to catch a closer look. All over her face and head; her fur was shaggy and sticky with sweat, even standing up in patches all around her features. Her eyes were blood shot and her mouth was stained with blood… X's blood. She had gone feral. She had gone primal. Judy was suddenly very aware of her racing heart and tensing body that was overflowing with adrenaline.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Asked X rhetorically as he lowered the mirror and she looked up at him. "Deep down we are all wild animals and when we can embrace that, then the world order shall return to the way it should be. Your primal instincts caused you to lash out in a last attempt to survive and look at you now! It will fade in a few minutes as your body calms down, but look at what can be unlocked! Imagine being this way constantly! The power… The intensity… The chaos…"

"No one can stop their base instincts, and that's the way it should be." X finished as he walked back to the sink.

"I'm not wild like you. I am civilised. I am a protector and an ambassador of the beliefs we keep in Zootopia." Judy somehow managed to state in between deep and heavy breaths as her body pulled against the restraints and the adrenaline had no way to escape her restricted body. She shivered intensely as she continued, "If you are willing to change, to live in harmony with all the other animals, then there is a place in Zootopia for you too."

There was a moment of silence as X readied something from within the sink, just beyond Judy's line of sight. "Zootopia… A blemish upon natures face. There is a natural order to things, prey. And your city defies that order. I want no part of that sick and disgusting place." He then came to stand in front of Judy once more. "You are right about one thing bunny. You are not wild; you were a minute ago but not anymore." Judy looked at his hands which now held a large 'clamping' looking device that required him to hold it in both hands. "So welcome to the rehabilitation program, number two-seven-six-nine-nine. Because if you won't give me Nick, then I'll just have to settle for you!"

X came at Judy quickly and grabbed her left ear while he moved behind her. Judy saw nothing, but heard a loud metallic crunch as metal struck metal, and within a moment of feeling the cold kiss of metal. Her ear suddenly lit up with intense pain that was indescribable. She screamed in agony. Then there was a burning sensation, and the smell of burning flesh and fur filled her nose. Feeling her heart beating through her head and most of the sound around her flooded out by a ringing sensation; Judy almost didn't hear a final clank of steel.

Her left ear flopped and dangled down in front of her face, she panted heavily as a large metal ring that pierced and weighed down her ear bobbed in front of her. Fed through an inch wide hole that had been drilled through the upper end of her ear, the seamlessly sealed ring read the numbers 'two-seven-six-nine-nine'.

Dropping the clamp on the floor behind Judy, X walked around to the front of her again and turned off the microphone before walking out of the room. He stopped at the door and turned to the weeping bunny to say, "Nick isn't coming for you, and he doesn't care. And I don't blame him. You're just a worthless piece of meat. Or rather,,, Just live stock for breeding. I haven't yet decided. I've got until today is up and I send you back to my farm to decide. Then I can put you with the others I'm rehabilitating."

And X walked out. Leaving Judy with nothing but his final words, a throbbing and branded ear, and no hope for rescue, she didn't even expect her message to have gotten through to Chief Bogo at this point.

Judy had given up.

* * *

Chief Bogo was about to give up.

He had heard amplified sounds of torture and had been following them for what seemed life forever, but could not seem to get any closer to them. They had to be scattered sound sources throughout the forest and now they had gone quiet, pursuing them had been a useless waste of precious time and he was mentally beating himself up about it.

He signaled for his unit to fall in just as he heard some rustling just ahead of himself. And suddenly bursting from the bushes in front was a petrified pare of animals who suddenly found twenty four laser dot sights aimed down upon them. Chief Bogo lowered his weapon and regarded the two in curiosity as they now raised their hands and tried to no avail to catch their breath; they had clearly been running none stop for a while.

A tiger and a jaguar in soldier gear, but with no weapons… This day was getting stranger by the hour for the veteran chief. Taking no chances lest he is leading his own unit into a trap; Bogo ordered that they be restrained for questioning. First finding out what caused them such distress led Bogo to even more questions, some of which were rather unsettling regarding Nick. But these two foot soldiers were unable to answer most of them.

Bogo was able to pry valuable information about the location of the warehouse as well as the layout of the outdoor-guarding mercenaries and their overall numbers from the two captives. As well as some light knowledge on the leaders of this whole operation so that he knew who he was dealing with, and on that topic he noticed that the captives suddenly got very tight lipped and the chief knew immediately that he and his unit were dealing with dangerous animals out here. The names of Laurence, Greg and X were lost on him or at least he had no immediate knowledge on them. But the tiger noble that was funding this whole operation he had heard of as a cruel ruler of a rich country, built upon poor people, where there was only the extremely rich and unfathomably poor, no in between. It was a distant country and far from the province on which Zootopia lay, which again only gave him more questions than answers, which in turn was causing Bogo quite the frustrated headache.

"One final question…" Stated Chief Bogo; staring down at his cuffed captives, "What exactly is the purpose of those glowing blue bands around your wrists?" And immediately at the mention of it, both creatures growled at Bogo in an unsettling primitive fashion. Glaring tensely down at them, Bogo commanded his unit. "Bring the prisoners with us, we have a mercenary army to unravel from the inside; out."

* * *

Nick had pulled the vehicle off to the side of the road. He was close enough to the warehouse that if he drove any closer he would risk discovery. Not sure if he regretted his choice to scare the two mercenaries into running away with two warning shots was a good idea or not had Nick troubled. He shouldn't be regretting not killing anyone at all, but his thoughts were interrupted by the loud scream of absolute agony that had come from Judy over the speaker before it went quite. That was about five minutes ago and it was constantly looping through Nick's head; the sound of her agony was crushing him from the inside out.

Forcing his mind clear; Nick took a few steps back from the vehicle and took a quick stock of everything he had gathered.

Two fully loaded pistols, one on each side of his belt and three more full magazines in his back pocket. An assault rifle strapped to his back with a standard magazine, and another magazine tucked in his right front pocket. He wanted to carry more, but between pain and fatigue he didn't want to weigh himself down or hinder himself any more than he already was.

Lastly, in his right hand he held his last plundered spoil from the vehicle and looked at it with absolute doubt. A grenade, which he had gotten off of a belt of five that lay at the back of the vehicle. This was the best plan he had and it needed to work, so he could get back to Judy and fast.

Pulling the pin from the grenade and tossing it right into the front seats of the vehicle; Nick turned and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, right back into the forest.

* * *

Bogo was forced to turn his head at the loud sound of a nearby explosion as he and his unit marched forward. He was now torn. Continue as planned or investigate what had cause such an explosion.

* * *

Laurence, X and the others that sat around the planning table were also suddenly drawn from their discussions to the direction of the sound of an explosion and a steady rise of smoke, not too far from their warehouse. And suddenly all the outdoors units were dispatched to sort it out quickly before it drew upon too much unwanted attention.

* * *

Judy heard the explosion and her eyes raised for a moment, just for her overwhelming self-doubt and loneliness to overwhelm her once more as she again lowered her head in despair.

* * *

And having no concern with the matters of the world around it; a machine with a sole intent and purpose ticked on to ninety-five percent completion...

* * *

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED THIS STORY._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 ** _RAINBOW USERNAME_**

 ** _ASTORATHGRIM_**

 ** _KTRK5_**

 ** _BUNNYLOVER27_**

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _DARKWARRIOR860_**

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _JAREL KORTAN_**

 _AND **ROBOFLAKE**_

 _FOR LEAVING YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK, IT REALLY MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL CONCERNING THE STORY._

 _I AM REALLY EXCITED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER AS IT WILL BE THE LARGEST AND MOST DETAILED YET AND IT WILL MARK THE HALF WAY/TURNING POINT OF THIS STORY!_

 _SOME OF THE COMMENTS HAVE REALLY BEEN A MAJOR HELP IN SHAPING THIS STORY AND SAVING IT FROM DEAD PLOT-LINES, SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. THIS STORY IS LITERALLY ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS READERS THAT LEAVE THEIR HELPFUL, INSPIRING AND CRITICAL-THINKING REVIEWS AFTER EACH CHAPTER._

With peace and love, I will see you very soon with the next chapter :)

Un4gottensoul


	8. Well That Took Long Enough!

The air was thick with the smell of smoke, strewn across the road were pieces of black metal that were for the most part still red-hot. Black clouds bellowed fast towards the sky from the warped frame of what was a vehicle only moments ago.

In the distance; clouds of dust were being thrown into the air as several matching black pick-up trucks road towards the carnage. There were five in total.

Chief Bogo observed them approaching from behind a large bushel. Turning around and seeing on of his men holding the two restrained captives, kneeling before him. He raised his rifle with single handed ease and fired a sedative round into each of their chests and both were out cold within five seconds. "Restrain them to a nearby tree. We don't need them blowing our cover." Bogo leaned forward and whispered to his man.

The black pick-ups moved in a row, the front three each holding two animals in the driver's and passenger's seats respectively. And Bogo counted eight more sitting at the back of each of the three pick-ups. The rear two pick-ups had only drivers and what the chief could safely assume was large water containers on the back to extinguish the flames and put out the smoke.

The front three pulled off of the road, two on the left side of the road where just a little farther into the forestry lay Bogo and his team. And the third pulled off to the right; thus allowing the rear two with the tankers to move forward and stop a close fifteen meters away from the blaze. The drivers from these two pick-ups hopped out and immediately ran to the back and began loosening hose pipes that were wound up in the back next to their respective tankers.

With hose pipes uncoiled and at hand; the two animals that happened to be tigers ran forward and began to douse the blaze The ten animals from the first pick-up and then the ten from the second pick-up ran forward as well and formed protective circles around the two animals who were working hard at putting out the fire and stopping the bellowing black smoke that stained the bright and sunny day's palette. The last ten split up into five groups of two and were spreading out along the road and began to patrol while cautiously aiming down sights in different directions to see if they could catch any glimpse on the possible culprit. They were being extremely cautious, which caused the hiding chief to let out a mental curse.

His squad was outnumbered and had a quickly shrinking element of surprise, so he had to decide a course of action and fast.

Placing a hand over the sleeve with the red ring to signify rank; Chief Bogo let out another natural sounding call to signify to his men what to do. And as expected it caused the nearest pair of patrolling enemies to snap their heads around in curiosity and stare hard into the forest where Bogo stood. He remained perfectly still. Not even breathing. It was a tiger and jaguar that had their attention summoned, and the jaguar slowly raised his gun and stared down sights. He searched the forest through his scope to see if he could find what had made the noise.

Hidden from within the shrubbery and shadows, Bogo and his team remained dead still, all aware of the called upon attention. The chief lowered his eyes and saw a red dot run across his chest as the foe surveyed the forest. What could have only been a matter of second felt like hours to the tough Police Chief, and after having the dot run unknowingly across his body a couple more times; the jaguar lowered his gun, shrugged at his companion and they continued their patrol.

With prying eyes away, Bogo's team moved into action. They had been trained to understand several calls and how the slightest difference in tone, volume and pitch could mean totally different things. The call Bogo had just made was to tell his unit to spread out quietly in a straight line and each pick two targets, and they all knew without a word which two targets to go for. Those in the unit with the better aim would go for the more obscured enemies and those with a less steadied aim would shoot for the easier targets. They all knew from best to worst how each of their shooting abilities ranged, so between that and countless hours of training together, they were practically mentally connected and knew exactly who would shoot which target. The Chief being more of a brawler by nature would go for the two whose attention he had caught, as they were relatively close and he owed them for the added stress. The reason everyone was to pick two targets was so that if by the odd chance someone had to miss, then someone else would have a chance to make the shot. They were outnumbered but only slightly, so this tactic would work in this scenario.

One by one; each of Bogo's unit members let out a low and sustained whistle as their targets were visible enough for an unobstructed shot. And within moments the entire unit, including Bogo, was heard as a choir of low whistles. This caused many heads to turn on the enemy's side at the low and unsettling sound of unseen animals whistling. And many of those concerned animals began to raise their weapons, but not before Bogo shouted "Now!" And exactly thirty bodies tensed for a moment and almost simultaneously fell to the floor. Six of the animals that were bears moaned and moved around the ground and Bogo quickly gave the signal for them to be double loaded with sedatives.

Lowering his gun and emerging from the shadows, Chief Bogo stated, "Nicely done squad." Before walking carefully over the unconscious soldiers and picking up one of the hose pipes that still had water flowing copiously out from it. "Move and restrain these mercenaries quickly. We have a fire to put out before we head back to 'camp'." The word camp was stressed sarcastically as Bogo knew that the only chance they stood at regaining Hopps and Wilde; was to return as the enemies they had just taken out.

While many of his unit worked at restraining and concealing the bodies in the forestry, the rest helped Bogo contain the blaze that was very quickly dying down. Whoever had blown up this vehicle had just given ZPD's finest a huge advantage.

* * *

Nick had watched the five pick-ups drive off as he worked his way through the forest around to the back side of the warehouse, which was now a much easier task without the likes of mercenaries patrolling the area. He held his rifle in a hip firing position as he was too tired to have it ready to aim constantly. A sudden encounter would mean a spray of bullets in their general direction, which Nick cringed at the idea of, but it would have to do. He needed to conserve as much concentration and energy for the real challenge. Getting back in the warehouse was no longer a problem. It would be getting out that was the real issue. "Although…" Nick started while looking up and seeing the two patrolling Snipers on the roof. "They could be a problem with the 'Getting in' part."

* * *

Judy's hands flinched and the rattle from the chain clanking against the bars for the chair startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see X standing in the doorway, just, staring at her. She paid him no heed and returned to her thoughts. The way she saw things now; Nick had lied to her and had now left her for dead, or worse. In fact she was sure that death would be a mercy on stark comparison to the life she was soon to lead. This sick and twisted creature before he has a farm from what she can gather, where he brainwashes and treats other animals like savages while he sits upon them as some Master? No animal is bred this twisted and evil. She looked up at him again and noticed several discolorations in the color and texture of his fur on his arms, and the glow from the outer world from the room seemed to illuminate scars upon his arms. They were not battle scars, no, Judy knew fighting scars, heck, even accidental scars as she thought about her let. This X had been tortured, and a lot. Someone had twisted him into this sick being and Judy didn't know what scared her more. The fact that animals can be molded into what X is or that there are animals out there that do the molding.

It wouldn't matter though. Soon she would be a slave to this twisted and demented system, and she was very quickly coming to terms with that fact. Her ear throbbed and she looked forward to see the heavy metal ring still dangling from her ear. And she started to mentally chant, 'two-seven-six-nine-nine'.

* * *

Huge clouds of dust were flicked up from the wheels of the pick-ups as they raced down the road. Chief Bogo leading from the front driver's seat glanced down at his dashboard to see over thirty of those illuminated, blue wrist bands sliding with the movement of the vehicle. There was something very off about those bands and Bogo made sure that all of the downed enemies were relieved of their bands. Lost in his troubled thoughts the chief quickly snatched one from the dashboard and secreted it into one of his pockets. He wasn't sure why but he had a gut feeling as though it played a pivotal role in whatever was transpiring.

Making the last corner and weaving the pick-ups into a large clearing, the Chief and his unit could see a large, white warehouse rapidly growing large upon approaching it. Bogo caught a glimmer on the roof and shouted out to his other men in his pick-up to watch for snipers. But he knew it didn't really need to be spoken. One of his elites; a lioness who was the best sharpshooter to come by the ZPD in a long time leaned over the back of the pick-up so her arms and rifle rested on the roof of the vehicle. Steadying her breathing and compensating for the movement of the pick-up along the dirt road; she fired her first shot and knew before it had even traveled that it wouldn't meet its target. Someone on the warehouse roof had just had a tranquilizing round wiz passed their head. Re-evaluating her tactic and timing her shot again, she moved against the vehicles movement as it went over a bump and as she predicted it jumped her aim right where it needed to be.

And before one of the two tigers who sat on the roof could even aim down their own sights, he lay unconscious with a sedative in his chest. The second tiger began to freak out and shot out a wild shot at the row of what was supposed to be friendly pick-ups, and the lioness had to pull herself hard to the right as a lethal round struck the vehicles roof to the left. "Wrap it up now Sue!" Bogo shouted above the ambient noise to the lioness. They were now close enough to the warehouse that distinct features could be made out. From within it's open doors.

Sharp Sue; as she was commonly referred to on the force, did not need to be told twice, and upon repeating her tactic again she downed the other tiger while it was stick cocking the rifle with another round.

* * *

The sound of his sniper's rifle being fired above him caused Laurence to look up again from the table and some of the lined up soldiers to turn around in cautious curiosity. The jaguar's eyes went wide with shock as he suddenly stood up and shouted, "Guns now! Protect the machine!" And his command was almost too late as the five pick-ups stopped at the entrance to the warehouse building and from the cover of all the other military vehicles; six Special Forces Officers from the backs of three of the pickups opened fire on the lined up militia. Chief Bogo and two others tossed out smoke grenades strategically in the mess of vehicles that were lining the entrance to the building, giving them the cover they needed to get out of the vehicles and properly situated for an assault.

* * *

Nick was about to take a chance at running for the building from his cover in the forest when he saw the snipers collapse and with fine eyesight he could faintly make out the uniforms that were situated in the approaching pickups. Standing still in disbelief as the five pick-ups went straight for the front of the warehouse, Nick was forced to chuckle to himself. "You clever little bunny." And feeling truly alive for the first time in nearly twenty-four hours; Nick raised his gun and made a break for the back of the warehouse, if he could get in from there, then his team just got an even bigger advantage.

* * *

Laurence crouched behind the flipped planning table and glared at the machine; through the faint haze of traveled smoke from the invaders cover system and utter chaos around him, he swore as the machine finally ticked on ninety-nine percent. This was taking too long and he didn't have time for these disruptions. With the light coming in from the warehouse the jaguar could faintly make out shapes moving behind the wall of smoke, with his men falling all around him he pulled out his own pistol, emerged from cover and began blindly firing.

Bogo and his team were using a clever little tactic, where they on purposely made as much noise as possible and constantly moved behind the cover of smoke to make it seem as though there were a lot more of them than there actually was. But Bogo's team was also taking its fair share of damage, 6 of his own animals had been hit, four of them were still able to fire and defend themselves, but two were critical and needed medical attention badly. A lot of firing had calmed down on both ends and those still standing on Laurence's side were grabbing effective cover and thinking carefully before shooting. It was as the chief started to hear several clicks on his side of the battle and his squad began to individually shout 'Lethal!' as they swapped out empty sedative clips with lethal rounds.

"Sue! It's time to start a rush!" Bogo shouted to his marks-woman. Looking to his side and receiving a nod from her that she acknowledged the plan; Chief Bogo pulled out two last smoke grenades and threw them a little further than the last two. Counting to ten to let the smoke disperse, Bogo then stood up from behind one of the pick-ups and began to run forward into the smoke he laid ahead. He too had loaded a magazine of lethal rounds and knew that anyone who pointed a gun at him now would have to perish. Falling in line right behind him was Sue, who had un-holstered two pistols and slung her rifle around her back. Time seemed to slow as the two of them ran forward through the smoke. The chief covering her from the front and herself looking out from the sides. Using her incredible and steady aim she caught a few stray enemies on either side that were preparing to shoot, they were downed almost immediately. The chief himself had to hip-fire at a few that came charging right at him. Clearing through the smoke he saw that a vast majority of the enemies lay on the floor either unconscious or bleeding from the corner of his eyes. This was a final push forward.

The rest of the unit that was able to come forward also soon ran through the smoke, ready to take down all who stood in their way. They knew they were winning the fight.

That is when the chief saw the biggest bear he had ever encountered let out a horrifying growl and run right at him. Seeing the bear reeling back for a punch, Bogo stopped dead in his tracks so that Sue ran into him on purpose and he bumped her off to the left while simultaneously dodging the attempted blow. Sue was quickly back on her feet and ran for nearby cover like the rest of her comrades to start a very close quarters shoot-out between either side. The large bear turned around fast, just in time to catch Chief Bogo shout, "Let's dance big guy!" And use all of his strength as a largely built buffalo to tackle the bear to the ground. The shooters on either side were too focused on taking out the opposing shooters to be bothered with the two mighty animals brawling on the ground, that and they were too worried about shooting one of their own.

While Bogo rolled around in the most intensive physical battle of his life, he caught a glimpse of the blue band on the massive bear's wrist. And that the blue glow had begun to pulsate.

* * *

In a small room at the back of the warehouse, Judy thrashed about in the chair she was confined to. Having heard the commotion and knowing almost immediately what was transpiring, the little bunny had new found hope and a will to fight. X stood leaning against a wall, near where the door was pulled from its hinges, watching Judy. A few stray bullets had made its way into the room, so he calmly moved her chair further into the room, so that she would not take a stray bullet, Otherwise he was contempt with watching her struggle.

"What do they call you, prey?" X asked her in his calm, but unsettling two toned voice. "Officer… Judy… Hopps…" She grunted out between tugs at her restraints. "Why… does it matter to you… 'Monster' ?" The last word she added bitterly, if she was going to be called what he saw her as then she was going to do the same for him. "Well, Officer Judy Hopps."He began as he lifted himself off of the wall and walked forwards towards her, ignoring the ambient sound of battle that was happening a mere few meters outside of the room. "When I do properly break you… You are going to make a beautiful addition to my collection. And within a matter of minutes, the machine will have finished it's loading and I will have won." Looping a finger in the ring that hung from her ear he caused her to stop struggling and gasp in pain. "Why don't you make it easier for the both of us and just submit now?"

"Fat chance you freak!" Nick called out from behind X, who released the ring in Judy's ear and turned to see the fox standing in the door way with a rifle aimed right at him. Taking a step forward Nick continued, "That there happens to be the strongest animal with the greatest will power that I know, and nothing you do will ever break her spirits or beliefs. You're just a weak shell in comparison to her… You walking, talking husk!"

"Nick! You came back!" Judy shouted as one of her ears perked up and the other tried to, but could not fully do so with the weight of the ring holding it down. Tears of joy streamed down her face.

Literally being able to feel Judy suddenly get filled with hope infuriated X as he shouted, "How dare you!" and made a dash at Nick.

Reacting fast, Nick pulled the trigger twice and X was forced to stagger back, and looked down at his right shoulder that now had streams of blood flowing out of it. With wide eyes he stared at Nick as he spoke, "Not going to lie… That really hurt!" And he made another Dash at the fox, which caused him to shoot again, but this time X was faster and had the smaller predator knocked off of his feet and flat on the ground. Nick was over powered easily by the freakishly strong creature and had to let X pull his rifle away so he could grab one of his pistols. Trying to aim it at X he was stopped as X quickly grabbed his wrist, not caring, Nick began to pull the trigger and let off four rounds right next to X's head.

X's primal instincts that kick into action whenever he fights caused his senses to increase, so the gun shots so close to his head felts like knives being driven into his brain and without howling in pain, he simply shouted one and recoiled back in discomfort, curled up and scratched at his ears as though to make it stop.

Wasting no time, Nick ran forward to Judy and shot through the chain of her cuffs, freeing her from the chair. Immediately she hopped up and threw her arms around him, "Oh Nick…" She started sweetly while pulling away from the embrace, just to slap the un-expecting fox across the face. "Don't ever hide anything from me or lie to me ever again." And with that she sternly turned away from him and walked over to the rifle he dropped and picked it up.

X who still lay writhing about in shock, he ripped off a large portion of his shirt where he had been shot, and Judy saw a wide collection of scars, welts, bruises and scorch marks. "Be sure… to ask him… about this…prey!" X growled out and Judy stared in absolute horror, before turning to look at Nick.

Nick started, "Don't listen to-

"Did you do this?" Judy interrupted him while pointing at X, her voice shaking in fear and uncertainty.

"We can talk about-

"Did you do this!?" She screamed as she marched up towards Nick and looked him dead in the eyes.

His silence was all she needed, and when he broke their eye contact, it was all the confirmation she needed. She raised her head, flicked her weighed down ear back so it draped behind her head, and walked out of the room with her gun raised at the ready. Nick followed her in a somber silence.

* * *

Laurence had had enough. He stood up from his cover and walked forward, in the range of fire and began shooting at the two large figures who fought upon the ground. He emptied a whole clip of eleven rounds into the two forms before they both stopped moving and he reloaded his gun. Suddenly all the fighting stopped.

Silence filled the air.

Only three bears still stood and immediately they ran forward to attack Laurence, but turning quickly and firing three shots in succession, all three bears fell to the ground. Moving over to the large animals; Laurence grunted as he used his foot to move the massive bear off of the buffalo.

Greg the mighty bear was dead; having caught nine of the eleven rounds.

Chief Bogo glared up at the jaguar with blood shot eyes while holding his left side where he had caught two rounds himself. His breathing was deep and fast as he tried to keep himself in check while experiencing absolute agony.

"If you want this pitiful animal to stay alive just a while longer, then stop this foolish attack right now!" shouted Laurence as he aimed down at Bogo's head.

Hit wristband was now pulsating extremely fast and he knew that the process was about to finish and he let out a loud and deep laugh. "In any case, you've lost now. I win!"

"No!" Shouted Judy as she ran towards the machine, all heads turned from Laurence to Judy. Nick ran after her in an attempt to stop her. And seeing what was about to happen, Laurence ran at her as well. "Don't you dare Hopps!"

Being the fastest of the three, Laurence caught up to Nick quickly and pushed him to the ground before heading at full speed towards Judy, whose small figure had effortlessly hopped on top of the machine.

Crouching down and grabbing the small black box that had caused her so much grief, she pulled it up; fast and hard.

The machine let out a screech and the whole warehouse seemed to shake, and still without the box attached the machine itself rolled onto one hundred percent.

Laurence began to yell out a curse, but was cut out by a blinding white light.

And suddenly Judy felt pulses of pure energy flowing through her, as she stood atop the machine holding the black data box. She looked over to Nick and her eyes met his own and she saw the fear and concern in them as he rose to come to her aid. She felt a tingling sensation, and that was very quickly replaced with a burning one, and she suddenly hurt all over her body.

And then it stopped, the machine went quite.

And then it exploded.

* * *

 _A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FAVORITED OR FOLLOWED THIS STORY._

 _AND BIG UPS TO:_

 **ZEPHYR169**

 **DIRTKID123**

 **ZENITH88**

 **KTRK5**

 **JAREL KORTAN**

 **DANNY-171984**

 **RAINBOW-USERNAME**

 **DARKWARRIOR860**

AND **ASTORATHGRIM**

 _FOR LEAVING YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK, IT REALLY MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO READ ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL CONCERNING THE STORY._

I could give a million excuses for why it has taken so long to write and publish this chapter, but at the end of the day they are just excuses. I hope I have not lost any of you awesome readers with such an inexcusable absence. I am truly sorry

Irrespective of that issue, this chapter marks the halfway turning point of the story and I hope you are all ready for some extreme 'Team-building' with the characters.

Take care and have a wonderful day!

Un4gottenSOUL


	9. The Shortest Lived Empire

The sun was falling quickly and the sky ran from a dark blue to the brightest shades of a fiery red, an intense colour that was matched by the burning building below it. Several fire trucks circled the once white building and were trying desperately to contain the blaze. The warehouse was soon to crumble down upon itself. Animals were limping, carrying and being dragged out from within. Some of Chief Bogo's squad were running in and out from the safety of outdoors and back into the blaze repeatedly to rescue animals, who were just half an hour ago trying to kill them.

Sue the lioness, with the aid of another from their squad; emerged from the building coughing and carrying their unconscious chief. He had lost a lot of blood, but knowing him as the fighter he was she knew he would pull through. Leaving Bogo in the capable hands of paramedics she turned and looked at the destructive chaos before her. With Bogo incapacitated she knew it was up to her to lead the squad as she was seen as the second in command. Nick and Judy were still in there and needed to be rescued. Calling over some fellow squad members who looked as exhausted as she felt; Sue lead them back into the searing heat and hellish fires of what could have been the start of a deadly empire.

* * *

X walked slowly and slouched over to the side, compensating for the annoyance of being shot twice. It was taking every ounce of himself to remain calm in the consuming flames of the warehouse. It took him a good fifteen minutes after the explosion had occurred to regain his senses fully and another fifteen after that to muster up the mental will power to leave the small room and seek an exit beyond the flames. He took a moment to assess the world around him and did his best to channel out the fear of impending doom.

And he located a crumbled wall in the back of the building that has yet to have been discovered by any opposition.

Seizing the opportunity; X began moving towards it, but was stopped dead in his tracks by the sounds of moaning and screams of pain.

Carefully avoiding red hot debris as he found himself wondering very close to the origin point of the explosion; X saw Laurence, rolling upon the ground while screaming and clutching his left side as best he could. Crouching so that his head was below the hovering layer of smoke ; X could see the cause of Laurence's discomfort.

Laurence's entire left arm, the left side of his waist and his left leg were completely burnt. There was almost no fur on that side of his body and X could only marvel for a moment at how fantastic the pain must be.

Reaching down slowly; X grabbed Laurence by the neck of what remained of his black shirt and began to drag him along to the exit, when he was forced to stop again. Turning his head and leaving Laurence where he lay, X moved towards a new and much softer moaning. And upon locating the source, he couldn't help but stop and smile; a grin split his face from ear to ear. Laying on the ground before him, pinned underneath a large wooden beam was a semi-concussed fox, who was drifting in and out of consciousness and going from fits of pain to moments of numbness. "Nicolas Wilde… Fate is good." X spoke to no one as he crouched and used his legs more than his one good arm, he lifted the wooden beam and carefully set it aside.

Crouching down by Nick he could see the fox had gained several minor burns, but most noticeable was how the beam that had collapsed on him had clearly dislocated his right arm.

Kneeling so that one of his knees rested on the fox's chest, X used his good arm to pull hard on Nick's dislocated limb and it popped back into place. The Fox yelped for only a moment and was quickly out cold. Grabbing Nick in the same way he grabbed Laurence he began to drag the unconscious fox and stopped to grab the injured jaguar as well. Gripping and tugging on Laurence with his injured shoulder sent a shock of pain through the mixed creature as the bullets buried in him ground against bone and he was forced to breathe deeply and suppress a loud laugh. While walking out and dragging the two animals behind him he made a mental note to give the pain right back to his captives.

It was as though X was in a totally different universe; dragging off the two animals into the forest and the calm of the night as the warehouse crumbled down upon itself. And Laurence's empire came to an abrupt end.

* * *

Judy awoke in a bed the following day. Her entire body ached.

Unable to open her eyes for a moment she let the sound and smell of her surroundings flood into her system and she knew exactly where she was, the Zootopia Central Hospital. Through the haze of her now opening eyes she could see a figure stand from a sitting place in the right corner of the room and walk towards her, blinking a couple of times helped clear up her vision and she could see clearly now that it was Sharp Sue.

"Damn Hopps… You have got to be the luckiest animal I have ever met." Sue stated while sitting gently on the end of the bed. And Judy was shocked at how quickly she her pain was subsiding now that she was fully awake. Her energetic bunny legs suddenly felt full of energy and her feet were twitching under the covers. Looking curiously at the all too quickly healing bunny, Sue added "To take the full blast of an explosion that brought the entire warehouse down, without any signs of damage to yourself… And you're already awake and well. Something happened in there Judy." The little bunny knew the lioness was being serious, because Sue rarely ever used something as personal as first names with her fellow officers.

"I… I don't know…" Judy replied while sitting up in her bed, her voice as uncertain as Sue's as she found herself now feeling no pain at all. "I mean let's not beat around the bush." The bunny looked the lioness right in the eyes as she concluded, "I should be dead." Judy could see that Sue had her doubts and given the circumstances of the theft Judy performed and the terrible outcome of the rescue operation she did not blame the sharp shooter. Feeling her long ears twitch as she thought of what to say next Judy noticed the heavy weight on her one ear and found the branding ring still attached. Seeing it opened a void in her soul that she had never felt before and immediately a million thoughts and questions ran into her head.

Trying to show a lack of interest but clearly revealing concern she asked, "Nick?"

Sue hung her head low and shook it slowly. "No sign of him, alive or…" the lioness let her words trail off, everyone on the force had a rough idea of the banter-fill relationship that was very slowly blooming between the fox and the bunny. To some it was disgusting, the thought of two animals of different species mixing, and to others it was cute in the most humorous way, watching them carefully dance around their obvious affection for each other. And for the most part everyone ignored it. With things in its current state, Sue really didn't want to have to break any bad news to Judy.

"And, Chief Bogo?" Judy asked again quickly changing the topic while clearing a lump in her throat. She hated Nick right now, despised him, time and time again she had been used and lied to, but she still cared.

"Both bullets were successfully removed and he is stable." Sue responded with a half-hearted smile, knowing that Judy's mind was in a totally different space, but it didn't stop her from catching a glance at the thick, metal ring in her ear. Taking a deep breath, Sharp Sue asked with a heavy heart; knowing that she would not like the answer from one of her closest friends on the force, "What happened at the warehouse?"

Without making eye contact with Sue; Judy glanced at the ring that caused her ear to bob slightly in front of her, clutching her sides with her arms and bringing her knees to her chest she began to retell the tale of the last twenty-four-ish hours.

For about two hours the bunny sat there telling her friend and colleague the events of her time as a tool and captive of Laurence and his crew. She went into deep detail on the machine and their motives and she glossed over her torture and Nick's betrayal and hidden life. Sue knew better than to pry; only asking questions on the important things, such as Laurence's motives.

"So what do you think happened? When you removed the data box from the machine that is…" Sue asked finally once Judy had wrapped up her retelling.

"I really don't know. None of the animals with the blue bands seemed to have gotten any stronger or powerful so I can only assume that I stopped it from happening. But…"

"But at the same time…" Sue interrupted her, "You have literally recovered from what should have been certain death."

Judy looked at the lioness curiously, "You don't think…"

"What? That you might have gotten the 'fix' that they were all supposed to get?" Sue responded while shifting her sitting position on the end of the bed. "If it's true what you say about the machine transferring the biological data to anything biological that was linked to the machine. How can you be sure that it did not go right into your body? I mean you did remove the date box as it hit 100 percent. The chances of it working that way are microscopic. But it's the only explanation for why you are still here."

Taking a deep breath, Judy composed herself as she began to respond to Sue's statement, but was interrupted as her ears flicked to the sound of a voice.

Softly in the background, a TV had been running and playing through its shows on a specific channel while the two animals had been speaking. Although abruptly it had been stopped for an emergency broadcast and Judy had caught the sound of Mayor Lionheart addressing the public in regards to what had transpired with a hidden warehouse being burnt down, an underground militia being foiled and the Chief of police being shot.

Judy remembered Laurence's talk of Lionheart's deception and her eyebrows furrowed as she and Sue sat there listening to the lies come out of this mammal's mouth. He stated that everything was fine, no important data had been compromised, that they were investigating the matter further and that Zootopia would return to normal within a day or two.

And while he stood there giving his speech, something caught Judy's eye, something she was sure she shouldn't and wouldn't have noticed in any other circumstance. "Did you see that?" She suddenly blurted out to Sue who stared blankly at the bunny without a clue to what she was referring. And then the broadcast ended. "Damn!" Judy shouted as she snapped her fingers while thinking of how to get confirmation on what she just saw. "That broadcast will have been streamed and uploaded to news websites right?" She asked, more so rhetorically than seeking an answer.

"Yes…" responded the lioness still confused and now getting a little irritated as Judy seemed to be rambling on to herself.

"Can I borrow your phone?" The bunny asked her friend and she was soon given what she required. Opening a news station's website she let out a sigh of satisfaction as she saw a video of Mayor Lionheart's public address that had just occurred and she started skipping through the video until she found the part she was looking for. "That's it!" She shouted and her body jerked in agreement of satisfaction and her tail end lifted from the bed for a moment. Judy had far too much energy. "Do you see it?" She asked the lioness while handing her phone back to her, on screen was a paused video shot of the mayor with outstretched hands.

Sue's eyes went wide with disbelief as she could faintly detect under the mayors right jacket sleeve, a blue band poking out; the same blue band that all the militia had worn.

"So Mayor Lionheart…" Sue started while looking at Judy with genuine horror.

"We need to leave now. It's not safe for any of us here, including the chief." And with that the bunny threw back the covers and jumped out of bed.

* * *

Judy splashed her face with water from the bathroom sink, she had gotten changed in the bathroom that was attached to her hospital room. Sue had been kind enough to bring some of Judy's clothes earlier in the event that she would wake up soon if at all and it was a thought that Judy was grateful for. Sporting black tights, a white vest and navy blue hoodie, she looked up and the ring that weighed down her ear stared at her. And in that moment a thousand thoughts and doubts ran through her head. Nick, X, lies, deceit… And that pit seemed to come back to her for a moment and bigger this time. She felt self-doubt and worthlessness as though she had never experienced it before. It came over her like waves and her fur stood on ends. All she could see when she looked at herself in the mirror was the branding, her mark as some wild and savage number among many others. Her horror was replaced by a sudden burst of rage that she had never had before and she punched the mirror hard, causing it to crack and break.

Staring at the now broken mirrors reflection made her feel more comfortable than the whole reflection, and that worried her. Because it now showed her how she felt she truly looked.

Broken.

She shyly tucked her ears into the hood of her jacket so as to hide the branding, and opened the bathroom door.

Sue had been waiting in the passage way for Judy, and seeing the bunny walk out and down the passage; she stood from a bench and quickly fell into line alongside the small animal.

"So what's the plan?" Sue asked in a hushed tone as they walked and weaved between many of the other animals making their way up and down the passage.

"We get the chief and we get out of here." Was all Judy said, letting Sue lead the way they made it to his room.

Judy was about to open the door to his room before her nose kicked up twitching and she caught a familiar smell. Raising a hand for Sue to wait, Judy hopped lightly up and grabbed onto a window frame that was high up on the door to the chief's room. Peering in she saw three tigers around the unconscious buffalo talking deeply about something. And all three of them were holding pistols, the small bunny was sure she could see the all had rifles secreted on their backs; under their jackets.

Knowing Sue for her superior aim, Judy turned around and asked her, "You wouldn't happen to have a gun on you?"

Raising an eyebrow and throwing her arms out Sue responded, "Hell Judy, we're in a hospital."

Biting her lower lip with her big bunny teeth and letting her left foot flick about in the air as she thought, an idea came to Judy.

Dropping down and walking up to Sue the bunny stated, "You're a pretty animal, and a…"

"Predator?" Interrupted the lioness, throwing her hip out and crossing her arms as she already didn't like the way this was going.

"I… was going to say tall. But in any case those animals probably know to avoid me or to attack me, you on the other hand; are a little less known to this bunch. You wouldn't mind acting a little more… Innocent, and 'distracting' those animals in there would you?"

* * *

The handle on the door wiggled for a few seconds and the three tigers from within quickly secreted their pistols. Sue fumbled into the room clumsily. "Oh, my bad." She said while giggling as she faked regaining her composure. 'Judy I am going to kill you.' She thought to herself as she went on with her act.

"Can… Can we help you?" Asked one of the three tigers curiously.

"Oh yes pleeeease!" Sue went on while walking further into the room; walking one foot in front of the other to ensure her hips swayed from side to side and she let her tail snake behind her. She had changed out of her uniform and was wearing nothing special, just some jeans and a shirt. But it beat walking into a room of criminals dressed as a cop.

Coming up to the bed and leaning over the frame she smiled at the three tigers who had quickly gone from feeling uneasy around her to all too comfortable. Her tail swished behind her as she went on, "I'm desperately looking for a friend of mine but I just can't seem to find her room." A tiger who was standing right next to her suddenly received a light flick on the face from her tail and his face split into a grin as he winked at his companions.

"Well then, what can we do for you?" The tiger asked while moving behind her and leaning forward himself with his arms over where hers were placed on the frame and his head came over her shoulder.

"Ooh." She started while giggling and removing her hands from the bed frame and running them along her thighs. "Well for starters." She said with a sudden change in tone as though she had just gone super serious, which she had.

Turning around fast, relieving him from his holstered pistol and pressing it up against his chin; she walked him back till he was against a wall and said, "You could learn some manners around ladies."

And while the two other tigers walked forward to pull Sue off of their companion, Judy burst into the room and jumped high and forward fast; kicking one of the two tigers square in the face. He then slumped on the floor; out cold. Landing in a crouch, she shot up straight with more instinct than aim and jammed two closed fists into the chin of the second tiger. He staggered back. Judy hopped up onto the metal bed frame and balanced herself as she readied for the tiger to come again, and after regaining his wits he blindly threw a punch at the bunny. Easily jumping up as fast as she could she turned in the air so her feet pressed against the ceiling and pushed down hard; landing elbow first into the head of the tiger who then knocked the front of his head on the bed frame. The clank of bone on metal actually made Judy cringe for him as she landed deftly. Hopefully for his sake her elbow was enough to knock him out before he felt that blow. Either way, she nodded in approval as he slumped at the foot of the bed.

The restricted tiger began to beg and plea from where he was held in place, just to be smacked in the temple with the butt of his own gun and he too fell to the ground unconscious.

"Never again Hopps." Stated Sue while glaring down at the bunny.

Judy who was removing all of the unessential medical equipment from Chief Bogo responded slyly, "Oh come on, don't act like you didn't enjoy the attention while it lasted."

Grumbling; Sue stepped forward and helped Judy. Clearing the room was one thing, but getting the Chief out of this hospital was going to be an entirely different mission.

* * *

Judy walked with haste, behind her followed Sue who was pushing their unconscious chief on his hospital bed. Judy had to fight hard to ignore all the questioning looks that the two civilian looking animals were receiving as they hurried along with a hospital patient.

Seeing an elevator open; Judy reached back and grabbed the bed frame and started to run forward, thus prompting for Sue to pick up her pace as well. Slipping past a queue of waiting animals who had been waiting for who knows how long; Judy cringed as she looked at all their disgusted faces as the elevator door closed behind her and sue with Chief Bogo on the bed. "Sorry." She whispered as the elevator began its decent to the ground floor.

Racing back out of the elevator as soon as it hit ground level, they headed straight for where the medical vehicles were parked. A Hippo Doctor saw caught sight of their suspicious activity and called for them to halt, but there was no stopping them now. They headed right passed reception and out to the front parking where they found a series of ambulances waiting.

Hopping up and opening the driver's door; Judy saw keys sitting in the ignition and reached under the chair to unlatch the back door. Working her way through the back of the vehicle she soon found herself opening the rear door and sliding out a ramp for Sue to load Chief Bogo into the ambulance. The Hippo Doctor had just then burst out through the front of the hospital and was shouting for them to stop. Judy didn't have time for this. Hopping down from the vehicle as Sue shut the back door and ran around to the driver's seat, Judy pulled out a pistol that she had relieved one of the tigers of and aimed it at the Hippo. "Stay back Doc!" She shouted. And the Hippo froze where he stood and slowly raised his hands. Realising who she was he asked nervously, "Officer Hopps?"

Bullet fire rang through the air, a single shot that made Judy jump where she stood. The Hippo's white coat flooded with red around his chest and his eyes rolled back into his head as he collapsed right in front of her. Dead.

Judy went pale with horror for a moment thinking that she had fired by accident, but quickly snapped out of it as the sound of another shot came and she jumped hard to her right as she saw a bullet strike the ground next to her on her left. Turning around she saw another two tigers come running towards them from a distance with guns at the ready. "Let's go Hopps!" Sue shouted from the driver's seat of the ambulance.

Judy was stuck staring at the dead doctor for only a moment before she heard Sue shout, "Now!" And she scrambled to her feet and hopped in the vehicle.

Sue turned the ambulance hard and drove in an opposite direction to that of those they were being shot at by.

Judy stared out of the front of the ambulance with a vacant stare as she thought to herself. 'Yes, we have gotten away. But at what costs…'

* * *

 _A VERY BIG THANKS TO:_

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _TIMECE02_**

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _RAINBOW USERNAME_**

 ** _ZENITH88_**

 _FOR YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS STILL FOLLOWING AND FAVORITING THIS... Y'ALL AMAZING!_

 _NEXT CHAPTER WILL SWITCH OVER TO NICK FOR THE MOST PART. SO GET STOKED FOR THAT! AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL ON THE FLIP SIDE..._

With love and happiness

Un4gottenSOUL


	10. Medium or Well-Done?

Nick's head throbbed with pain. What felt like the inconsistent thumbing of a bass drum rang through his head. The fox attempted to open his eyes, but at the sudden incoming rush of light he was forced to close them once more. Taking a deep breath for mental preparation; he slowly opened his eyes again, this time giving himself time to adjust. His eyes burnt and his head screamed in discomfort for a few moments, but the pain subsided, and once adjusted to the light of the bright room her was in, he found the thumping in his head seemed to dull down. A huge relief.

Looking around this room that was completely illuminated by fluorescent lights, the fox saw not a single piece of furniture, or a single window for that matter. The room was completely tiled with what seemed to be a singular white type of tile; that had been polished to a reflective gleam.

This room felt clean to Nick. Clean being the only word that would come to mind and it was unsettling. It was too clean. He felt like a child about to muddy up a freshly washed floor as he tried to stand. Except now regaining feeling throughout his body, he noticed that he could not stand.

Nick was strapped to a wheelchair at the ankles and wrists; leather restraints which he gave a couple of half-hearted tugs to test out what he already knew to be true. He wouldn't be able to break free from them. Flexing and stretching as best as he could in his predicament he found that most of his wounds no longer hurt and his cuts were in the beginning process of healing. The freedom of movement without protesting pain felt good. His right shoulder was throbbing like crazy though and felt extremely swollen. Trying to recall the events of the warehouse brought back a flash of a single memory. An explosion and a beam falling upon him, and fire everywhere.

And Judy…

Nick's head hung low and his ears drooped forward as he recalled that last moment of seeing her before the explosion. And how the last thing he had done to her was to betray and anger her beyond forgiveness.

His actions would never be redeemed.

With a head hung low, his nose kicked into action at the subtle sent of a lavender fragrance. And he just now noticed that he felt clean and fresh, and found himself wearing new clothes. Black trousers, a silky soft white button up shirt, and what felt to be a bowtie. Looking down into one of the steel frames of the wheelchair he could safely confirm that it was black. His curiosity was quickly dampened out by the loss of Judy. Long harbored feelings of worthlessness and self-disregard were surfacing in full force and the fox felt literally no reason to live.

Then a loud mechanical clank emitted from the door in front of him, the sound bouncing on and off of the walls around Nick with no objects to catch and absorb their frequency. It was very unsettling and he could feel his face change to the situation as he glared at the door with both eyebrows furrowed. He noticed that his blackened eye had healed enough so that he could fully open it again and mentally laughed at the trivial victory that it was. For now, whatever was beyond that door; was his biggest problem.

The door slowly lurched forward and as it began to open Nick couldn't help but be shocked at the thickness of it. The door itself could have easily been thirty centimeters thick and looked to be made of steel. Whoever had placed Nick in that room did not want him going anywhere; had he figured a way out of his confines.

Nick exhaled low and shallow when he saw the cause of his captivity; the animal or more so 'monster' behind his entrapment. "X." The fox grumbled as his ears tilted forward and his teeth began to show in his sudden fit of anger.

"Nicholas!" X chirped rather happily. Although anytime a happy sound came from his mouth it sounded more painful than the worst kind of torture and the collision of his two toned voice could make any animals fur crawl. "I'm so glad to see you're awake. I hope you rested well."

"What do you want with me?" Nick blurted out in an impatient tone, refusing to play along with any of X's games.

And X sighed, dropping his cheery little act. "The least you could do is thank me for saving your life, not that it's worth much in any case."

"I'll pass." Nick replied; managing to muster up a small part of sarcasm. "You and I are equally worthless, and you know why."

"True." Responded X while looking genuinely un-phased by the insult as he walked behind Nick and grabbed the handles to the wheelchair and began to push the fox out of the room. "But at least I have come to terms with my worthlessness, and more importantly my demons." The mixed creature whispered in the fox's ear as they emerged from the room.

Nick found himself being pushed down a corridor with doors much like his own continuing far in both directions, an uncountable number in fact, countable only if Nick was given the opportunity to do so. And suddenly the fox was filled with horror as he was pushed along this hallway; as from within these rooms he could hear muffled screams. And not just a couple of screams from a room here or there, but from the hundreds of rooms that traveled in either direction; unique screams came from each one. Some screams were of fear, some of anger and some were a mix of mad screaming and laughter. How many animals has X really collected?

All the screams were muffled, but clearly audible. So X could still speak at a normal volume level to Nick as he stated. "Brilliant isn't it? Each room is designed so that you can't hear any noise from beyond it, but the sound can be heard outside of them. Its music to my ears! I'll lock each animal in there for three days without food, water or social contact. At the end of the first day they are screaming, by the end of the second day all the screaming has gone to their head as all they have heard is themselves for the last forty-eight hours. And by the end of the third day they are lucky if they remember who they are. Apparently the three days feels like weeks, if not months to some of the animals. Scientists, therapists, doctors… They all cave in the end."

X pushed Nick into an elevator and closed it behind himself as they began to travel up. This was a long way up and Nick suddenly realized how far all those animals were truly underground. It was when they got off the elevator that a whole new set of horrors began. Nick found himself being pushed through a large room of caged animals. A variety of animals; predator and prey, in cages of varying sizes, mostly just large enough to fit themselves. And all were savage.

Screaming, howling, growling. Clawing at their cages.

Nick caught sight of a few animals in uniforms moving some of the animals around on fork lifts. One of such animals road past Nick and X and the fox saw a blank and vacant stare from their eyes. Noticing what Nick saw, X bent forward while he pushed the fox so that he could be heard over the ambient noise of over a thousand animals thrashing about in cages. "It takes a special kind of animal to work here, the kind that you have to make more than hire. Well, more so re-mould than make…"

Leaving the large room, Nick would feel his heart beating out of his chest, every civil instinct in his body was telling him that whatever was going on here was so wrong that it should never even be imagined, let alone put into practice.

And then suddenly the fox could not have possibly felt more conflicted. The stuffy, damp and awful smell of the animal crammed room was suddenly forgotten and lost in a cool night's breeze. The sound of the animals was quickly drowned out as though they were sitting in an open tube that was now being filled with water. The crisp and clean air felt good as it rustled through Nick's exposed fur on his face. And he began to notice something as he stared around at his surroundings. There were vineyards to his left and wide open fields to his right. The moon's glow running over this place mad everything seem so calm, so normal. They were traveling down a sort of outdoor corridor that was made of old stone, it was around two meters wide and had large columns running along either side that didn't support a roof overhead, but still added to the majesty of what was clearly an age old piece of architecture. It all seemed so familiar to him. And it stirred old and repressed memories that Nick had not thought on for years. "This is the farm isn't it?" Nick asked in a low tone and his voice was filled with uncertainty.

"Our farm." X corrected the fox, as he pushed Nick down the path and towards a cottage.

"You… You've turned it into a mad hell!" Nick shouted out as he began to thrash around in his restraints.

Ignoring the fox's protests; X continued to calmly push the wheelchair and began talking to himself more than Nick as he stated, "You know, if Laurence had sent me to collect you from your apartment that one evening then I would have probably brought you here immediately and ditched the whole plan entirely. But I must say I like the way that this has worked out. I have you, I have my animals and I got to get acquainted with that lovely little bunny friend of yours."

At hearing the mention of Judy; Nick strained as hard as he could in his confines and threw his head back as hard as he could. The back of his head went hard into X's mouth and the Mixed creature was forced to let go of the wheel chair and take a step back.

Pulling a handkerchief from a pocket; X wiped away a small flow of blood that was running down his chin from where his teeth had cut into his mouth from the force of Nick's blow. Breathing deeply to remain calm he grabbed the handlebars on the wheelchair and continued his walk forward.

Nick who had also hurt himself fairly hard stopped thrashing about as he felt a lump growing in the back of his head. He didn't care, his message had gotten across.

Using his tongue to collect the pooling blood in his mouth before he swallowed it; X spoke low and firmly, "You may have just ruined dinner for me Nicholas, and trust me. If you ruin this for me then I will put you through all you put me through and more."

* * *

X pushed Nick's wheelchair into place at the large antique wooden table of a elegantly decorated dining room. X unlocked the fox's wrist restraints and began walking around to the other side of the table.

Before Nick could even bend to touch the restraints around his ankles, X sensed it and spoke with his back still turned to the fox. "Before you do that you'd better make sure that you can undo both restraints before I can get to you. You know I will make you regret it." Nick relaxed himself in his chair and waited for X to sit in his own place opposite him.

The fox glared at the mixed creature with a mixture of rage and disgust as X sat down and placed a napkin on his lap and clapped twice, before picking up a remote and turning on a wall mounted television that was to his left and on Nick's right. A lynx dressed as a butler came walking in with perfect posture and carrying two plates of food.

Placing a single plate in front of Nick, the fox looked up and noticed the poor lynx had that same vacant stare, and he wondered for only a moment what this poor animal had to endure to reach this point of emptiness. Looking down at his plate as X received his own food, Nick saw a thick juicy steak; cooked to perfection. The same Lynx came back around and poured some dressing over the meat before walking backwards into a corner of the room and standing in complete silence.

"I'm not big on the whole 'meat' thing." Nick stated bluntly. Foxes had a very versatile diet and although Nick would have meat on occasion, he preferred not to.

"Well I know you're going to at least try it… It has been three days since you last ate." X responded while picking up a knife and fork and then began to cut into his own steak, the TV providing a subtle background ambiance in the otherwise awkward dinner evening for the two.

And Nick suddenly had a timeline to work with 'Three days…' He thought to himself. And then his stomach growled.

Slowly he reached out for the knife and fork with his unrestrained hands and picked up the utensils. He felt like a child who refused to eat what's good for him. But the fox was indeed starving, and he had to admit, it was a mighty fine smelling and looking steak. Cutting himself just a slither he raised it to his mouth and looked at the inner lining, the meat was somewhere between medium and well done. Slowly Nick put it into his mouth and began to chew, looking up he saw X smiling at him while he chewed at his own steak. And the taste of sustenance on Nick's palette caused him to nearly moan as he began to attack the steak before him; cutting large chunks and ramming it into his face.

"That's the spirit." X stated as he calmly resumed his meal at his own pace.

Already three quarters through the steak; Nick was forced to look up at the TV which was showing a news broadcast as he caught the mention of Judy. Swallowing hard on the large chunk of meat sitting in his mouth he stuttered; "J…Judy… She's alive?" His look of shock turned into one of joy as they flashed a picture of her on the news and spoke about her hospitalization. But then the fox's smile disappeared, as he saw security footage of Judy standing in a parking lot and shooting another animal, and innocence, a doctor. She shot him in cold blood. The news broadcast ended with the official announcement of the arrest warrant for Judy Hopps and Susan Clawton and that any information on their whereabouts should be brought forward as soon as possible. "No…" Was all the fox was able to muster to say.

"So do you think…" X started which caught Nick's attention. "That she would be in this mess at all, if she hadn't met you?"

"I…" Nick began to respond uncertainly but was abruptly interrupted by X as he went on.

"She's been abducted, tortured, imprisoned, forced to commit treasonous crimes and now to kill." While chewing on a bite of meat and pointing his fork at the fox he finished his statement; "All… because… of you."

Swallowing his food and smiling yet again as he was genuinely pleased to see Nick speechless; X went on, "Face it fox, you can't fix this one. There is no way for you to slither your way out of it. You've messed up and it's time to suffer the consequences."

"Please." Nick whispered as he raised his head and looked at X with genuine fear. "Please leave her alone. She is strong; she can still dig her own way out of this, but please don't drag her into our mess."

"There's no need for me to go after her." X stated looking seriously back at the fox. "She will come looking for you on her own, and when she does; that's her own fault." The mixed creature chuckled as he chewed on another piece of his steak. "By the way." X spoke with his mouth full, "How's your Laurence taste?"

Nick's head snapped up straight as he asked X, "What!?"

"The jaguar we have been eating. The Laurence; I hope I cooked it well enough for you. I personally prefer my jaguar on the more rare side, but I wasn't sure how you'd like your piece of that moron to be cooked."

Nick stared down at the small portion of meat that remained on his plate. And he felt himself begin to gag.

Speaking over the sound of Nick coughing and spluttering as the fox fought his indecisive stomach, X said with absolute glee, "Enjoy this evening Nicholas Wilde, for it will be your last lived as a lie; as what so many believe to be a 'civilized' animal."

* * *

Judy walked down the canned food isle with her head ducked low underneath her hood. Her eyes darting around her as her hands secreted two cans of food in the sleeves of her jacket, her small hands barely holding them in place. She was the only one in the store besides the clerk at the front and could not leave until someone else walked in. It would otherwise be too obvious that she was up to no good. Her ears twitched under the hood of her jacket as she heard the sliding doors of the convenience store open. An elderly hound sat as the clerk on the other side of the counter and greeted the two animals who had entered.

The small bunny noticed something about their accents and peaked around on of the shelves. She cursed under her breath. Two tigers that had been pursuing them none stop for the last three days had just walked into the store and were striking up conversation with the old hound.

Now was as good of a chance as any for Judy to slip out, and she had to be damn careful about it.

Working her way casually to the front of the store she tried her best not to look suspicious, although she was pretty sure it was having the opposite effect right now. She was half way up the cold food isle when she heard an argument break out between the tigers and the hound. "Enough!" One of the tigers shouted and grabbed the old animal by an ear and slammed his head onto the counter hard before pulling out a pistol and holding it against the poor animals head. "I'm tired and I'm miserable and I haven't slept in three days, so give me what I want you old pooch!" The tiger carried on. His partner was less enthusiastic but went along with it in any case.

Judy was faced with a choice; she could walk away and take advantage of the distraction, or she could intervene and save the hound, but blow her cover and location to both forces that chased her.

The fact that she was even considering the options without choosing the obviously right one cause the pit to grow inside her again, this time larger than ever. She began to hyperventilate and her eyesight became fuzzy. Where did her morale compass lie anymore? What was she doing here? Why was she still running? Was she truly in the right or wrong anymore? And most importantly; for being so certain about everything in her life merely days ago, why did she no longer know these things?

Her confusion turned to rage as she glared at the two tigers in front of her. Her soft and small bunny hands started to bend and dent the cans she held onto. And then her breathing became shallow and low, she felt like a drunk walking towards the two tigers.

Judy blacked out.

* * *

The bunny opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of the convenience store. Her entire body was pulsing with adrenaline. She was visibly shaking. She looked down and saw her hands clenched like steel machinery onto the two cans that were now covered in blood. She looked up and saw that all around her the entire shop was a mess. Isles knocked over and produce lying everywhere. Windows smashed and florescent lights hanging from the ceiling by only their cables.

To her left she saw the two tigers laying in an unconscious heap with bloodied heads, and two her right she saw the old hound peaking over the desk at her, he was horrified. Feeling her ears perk up she knew her hood had fallen back and she quickly pulled it back on, dropped to the floor and started scooping up as many items as her little arms could carry. She ran out of the store and down the road as fast as her bunny agility would take her.

It was time to move again. And Judy knew that they couldn't keep this up for much longer. They needed a way out and fast.

* * *

 _A VERY BIG THANKS TO:_

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _ZENITH88_**

 ** _(Thanks so damn much for the constant feedback, its incredible!)_**

 ** _I BE THE FOXY PIRATE_**

 ** _TIMECE2_**

 ** _WARWOLF47_**

 _FOR YOUR AWESOME REVIEWS AND THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS STILL FOLLOWING AND FAVORITING THIS... Y'ALL AMAZING!_

 _ **AUTHORS NOTE:** So this is the first time I've actually felt the need to do one of these. Because I just wanted to address something before this chapter has you wonderful people chasing me with pitchforks and torches... This is a dark story that explores my opinions on the most basic elements of Nick and Judy's characters. The plan from the beginning was to tear the characters apart and see how they would react when thrown into dark situations that could redefine them. The reason the first chapter started so cute and then turned so abruptly rough was to prepare those who were willing to go further with this story that it is going to have many sharp points like that. _

_I'm not clearing this up because anyone said anything or called me out on it, it's purely because I took a step back and thought it needed to be addressed. I am not a sadist, not entirely. I'm just curious about how things will turn out. Honestly I hardly know how the chapters are going to go before I type them! Weird right?_

With love and happiness

Un4gottenSOUL


	11. The Rot Beneath The Roots

Judy burst through the motel room's doorway and using her hefty bunny foot; she slammed the door closed behind her, her arms still full of the items she had stolen.

"Holy hell!" Came Sue's voice from a dark corner of the room as she stepped forward and lowered a pistol she had up and aimed; ready for the worst case scenario that Judy was in fact an intruder. "You said you were going to grab a couple of cans and that's it!" Sue shouted at the bunny as she approached angrily to relieve Judy from some of the items that were nearly falling from her arms. Walking over to a rickety couch and dropping the rest of the food she carries she rubbed her sore and bruised knuckles as she responded in little more than a whisper; "Things got complicated."

Sue who had started placing some of the frozen goods in the fridge, looked up at Judy and asked; "Tigers?"

"Tigers." Was all the bunny responded as she walked over to a bed that rested in the far left corner of the room. This motel they resided in was shabby, small and less than comforting. Judy loved the stuffiness of her own little apartment but this place was just depressing. Although she felt no place to complain; within twenty-four hours of their hospital escape all of Judy's and Sue's assets had been frozen. They spent the next twenty-four hours after that under constant pursuit by a force of mercenary tigers, after which losing their trail they came to rest here. Which meant for the first time in three days; Judy and Sue could rest.

Sitting on the edge of the bed Judy looked at Chief Bogo who lay resting; he had been unconscious the whole trip and Judy began to envy his rest as she fought every urge to collapse and sleep where she sat. The Chief's breathing seemed strained to the bunny, so she reached under the bed for a morphine shot. Two miles up the road from this somewhat secluded motel they had ditched the ambulance in a river and taken all the medical supplies they could think would help from it. Judy had waited in secret with the chief on his stretcher in a secreted brush on the side of the road; while Sue went ahead and sorted out the lodging before coming back to collect the two.

Feeling nothing under the bed Judy asked aloud in the dark of the shut out room, "Where's the morphine?"

"All out. Used up the last one soon after you left." Sue responded as she began to fry something on the stove and Judy's stomach knotted with hunger at the prospect of food.

The convenience store she had stolen from was three miles up the road from their motel and she had run like hell to get back as fast as she could, still witnessing the transition from evening to night. She wanted to rest but knew how essential every moment was right now. Using her small hands to push her ears back as though she were clearing hair from her face; Judy took a deep breath before stating, "We can't stay much longer, they're on to us again. I encountered two tigers at the store and was able to fight them off, but this means that more will follow and soon."

Sue walked over to Judy who still sat on the bed and handed her a bowl of fried vegetables with a fork resting in the mix. The bunny looked up at the lioness with absolute gratitude in the low light and began to devour the contents of the bowl. "So what now?" asked Sue while flopping onto the couch with her own bowl of food. "What's the plan?

Judy swallowed hard on a large mouthful of mixed vegetables. "We need rest, but we need to move. Now I'm thinking that because it's still early into the evening; You get two hours shut eye while I stay guard, then you do the same for me. After that we leave."

"Leave for where? With what vehicle? How in Zootopia's good fortune are we supposed to move the chief? We can't leave him. If the wrong people find him he is as good as dead on the spot." Sue responded, the sound of irritation at their predicament was more than evident in her voice.

"We take the motel owner's pick-up. And we are headed back into the heart of Zootopia. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but I have a friend who might be able to help us."

"Hopps…" The Lioness quickly chirped in, "You do know what you're doing, right? If we leave, it might mean the end for us. Heading back into Zootopia we face not only Mercenaries, but we face our own as well."

"I know." The bunny responded while getting up and placing her empty bowl in the sink, she could feel her stomach full and pressing against the fabric of her top. She'd never loved the feeling of being full more than she had right now. "But if we stay here it's also over. They may have been able to frame use for murder and kidnapping but I know how we can catch them."

"How?" Asked Sue as she slumped down into a lying position on the couch as she readied for her brief rest.

"Tell me… how do you feel about the local Mob Boss?" Was all the bunny asked.

* * *

The wind whipped through the fur on Judy's face as she stared out at the many wondrous building lights that emitted from the sky scrapers around her on this late night. The pickup she sat in the back of was riding through the city center of Zootopia and she was forced to smile at how the city never slept; still more than half as busy as it was during the day with animals from all walks of life still commuting. There was a sense of beauty about the city at night that she rarely got to appreciate; being more of an early morning bunny meant that she never really cared for much of the night life, although she could easily see the appeal.

She felt the pickup go over a large bump and had to quickly grab a hold of the stretcher that lay with her in the back to keep it from moving around too much. Fearing for the chief's comfort as she could see his face grimacing in the night light's illumination as his rest became more and more troubled. She tapped the back window of the vehicle to signal to Sue to drive more carefully. They had a fairly short distance to go, but this last stretch through the hustle and bustle of an entire city looking for them would be the hardest part, they just had to keep their heads low and travel carefully.

The pick-up came to a stop down a dark alleyway and Judy hopped deftly out of the back, the vehicle was easy to claim from the sleeping badger that lay resting in the reception of the motel, Judy felt bad for taking his vehicle but they really did need it more than the badger did. She reflected only for a moment at how the last few days events had completely skewed her morals and she wasn't sure whether to be proud or disgusted at her ability to adapt to these situations life threw at her.

Sue wound down her window as Judy came to stand by it. "Wait here." The bunny commanded before walking forward, the front lights of the pickup cast a huge shadow of the bunny ahead of herself. Causing Judy to think how appropriate it was, and how it matched this ginormous dark void within herself.

Sue was agitated, she did not like this plan one bit and having no prior association with the Zootopian Mob left her with little belief that the innocent little bunny even knew what she was doing, but Judy had kept all three of them safe thus far, and that trust had to continue if Sue wanted to see herself and the chief out of this mess.

Judy kept on walking forward until she found herself staring at a wire fence. Raising a clenched hand she beat the fence methodically and to a rhythm, 6 beats in rapid succession followed by two with a greater gab between them.

From the dark beyond the fence Judy saw two sets of glowing eyes approach, and they were high above her own. Being short this was not uncommon for the bunny, but as the light from the pickup fell upon the animals she let out a mental sigh of relief as her predictions were true and two Polar bears stood before her on just the other side of the fence.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Stated one of the bears gruffly, making no effort to hide his displeasure at being interrupted from whatever task he had been previously busy with.

Judy pulled back her hood and stood at an angle so that the light would catch on her face just enough so the bears could see who she was. "Ah! Officer Hopps!" The polar bear continued with a sudden change in tone, now bordering on the humoured side. He went on, "How wonderful it is to see you, Mr. Big has been expecting you for a couple of days now. But we understand the delay given your… Circumstances." And with that last word the two polar bears began to chuckle deeply. Judy strained to ignore the insult at her difficult situation.

"May we enter?" She asked cold and bitterly.

The polar bears nodded with grunts as they returned to their somber mods and seriousness. Both gripped the fence and began to slide it as it was actually a secret gate that had been disguised as a fence to those who wouldn't know any better. Judy indicated that Sue could drive forward and slowly follow the bunny as she began a long walk through a secret entrance to Mr. Big's property.

* * *

Judy sat on the opposite side of Mr Big's large, vintage oak desk. This had been the fifth time she had found herself sitting here and it never got any easier, whether she was there on good or bad terms with the Mob Boss. The intimidation of his entrance; each time the same as the first was never lost on her as the Polar bears filled the room before bringing out Mr Big and setting him on the desk.

She waited patiently for him to slowly raise his hand for her to kiss his ring in respect. Being a bunny that constantly lived life as fast as she could, she had learnt a thing or two about patience in the last year, although ever since waking up in hospital, she had to fight the urge not to speed things along during her every waking moment.

"Judy, how good it is to see you again!" Started the small shrew who's stature constantly demanded the respect of those around him. "I was expecting you sooner, but I now see the full extent of your unfortunate predicament. Although…" He let his words trail off for a moment as his large and bushy eyebrows began to furrow. "You come into my home with two opposing forces close on your heels, you bring one of the animals responsible for countless hours of 'underground' work lost and even more money pulled out of my trade."

Judy waited for a second to make sure he was finished before she began her response, the last thing she wanted to do was disrespect her last powerful ally. "Please accept my apology Mr Big, but he was not safe in the hospital, you know just as well as I; how Chief Bogo has kept the city safe from invaders, murderers and undesirables for years, for the most part he has tried to keep your trade out of his path except in the instances where it was unavoidable.

Mr Big seemed to sigh loudly as he thought on her words. Judy had begun to develop a twitch in her right leg and it was driving her crazy, in her mind this was taking far longer than it needed to.

"Very well." The shrew eventually stated, sounding only slightly pained at the acceptance which is what Judy was hoping for, there was still more she needed to ask of him. "The Chief can stay, and he will be tended to by our private practitioners. Your lioness friend will be tended to as well."

"Thank you so much Mr Big it really…" Judy began before she saw him raise a hand for her to stop, and he himself again began to speak.

"We need to talk about you now Judy Hopps, formerly Officer Hopps."

His sentence stung as though she had just been thrown into a burning flame, and she bit hard on her lower lip to prevent herself from coming up with some stupid quip.

Mr Big went on, "Killing doctors is one thing, but wildly attacking animals as though you were savage is an entirely different matter."

Judy was shocked at what she heard, "Fair enough to know about the doctor; whom I actually did not shoot and kill, please, no disrespect intended but the footage is a lie. But how could you know about the other attack?"

"It's your latest viral sensation Judy, a disturbing attack. Yes their intentions were probably bad for you, but the security footage tells a different tale. Someone high up in the city is really unhappy with your right now little bunny."

"Please, let me explain everything." Judy began but was cut off again by Mr Big's raised hand.

"You don't need to explain anything Judy, I know exactly what's going on." The shrew crossed his legs in his tiny chair and rested his hands on his lap before continuing on his all too detailed rant of what had happened to Judy. "I know about Laurence, and how he used you and Nick. I know about the new Night Howler project and what it's intent was and I most certainly know about X and how under that hood you secret a mark of branding that you just don't have the mental will power to remove."

Judy absently placed a hand on her hood where her ear was laid back and she lightly grabbed the ring on her ear as she stared in absolute shock at Mr Big.

"The monster broke you Judy, and I am sorry to hear that. But you need to be strong now, because one way or another you need to deal with what I am about to tell you next."

The bewildered bunny nodded slowly in acceptance with a vacant stare.

"I was offered in on the Night Howler Project by Laurence, I've been in their financial circle for quite a few years now. And dealt mainly with the jaguar, I cared not for X and distanced myself from him as much as possible, he had a crazed sense about him and I knew immediately it would be bad for business. So I stayed far away from that."

He went silent for a moment before finally adding, "Then there is the situation with Nick."

Judy was battling to wrap her head around all of this but suddenly it all became obsolete at the mention of the fox. "What about Nick?" She asked, almost shouting in curiosity.

Mr Big ignored the outburst and went on to answer her question. "There is so much going on in this city that you still don't know about my dear, and Nick's life before you is one of them. The fact that he has not told you the full extent of his past says enough. And I believe that now more than ever, you need to know what is happening around you so you may combat it."

The tiny shrew leaned forward in his chair; an immediate sign that what he was about to tell Judy was pivotal knowledge that wasn't known to many.

"Years before Nick disgraced my family with that repulsive gift…" Mr Big seemed to shudder for a moment before continuing, "I knew him as only a foot soldier to a mercenary army with a very interesting past. You see, I do not believe that X or Nick died in that warehouse fire, I believe that both of them are alive and they are together. After all, that's what brothers do. They stick together."

Judy felt faint at the revelation, "Nick and X share a blood relation?" She asked in absolute awe.

"Worse than that." Continued Mr Big, "X is in part; Nick. The fox part of him that is. I'd know; I was one of the patrons who paid well to see if the experiment would work. Nick and another; a cheetah they all called 'Pacer' were chosen, more by force than option, to give samples for the experiment. I will skip all the scientific parts but know this, that from Nick and this cheetah, X was born. X was grown in a lab, in a test tube and under constant supervision."

Judy could not believe what she was hearing, "Why had Nick never told me this?" she asked herself more than Mr Big, but he answered none the less.

"Would you have told Nick if it were you sharing blood with X? Have you ever met the monster Judy?" Mr Big asked sarcastically, the bunny nodded in agreement and Mr Big continued, "That was twelve years ago, almost to the day; that Nick, Pacer and X had been put out in the field together to fight in Laurence's army. They fought hard and worked fantastically as a team; X at that time was 'normal' by our standards and was a perfect link between the cheetah and fox he fought with. Until on a foreign land, getting paid to fight a foreign war; the three of them were captured. All three were lined up in front of the enemy general and Pacer was killed on the spot. It was at that moment that something changed in X, from what reports tell. He became darker and brooding, as though he had lost half of his soul in the process. Nick and X were then beat in rapid repetition for days with almost no break, the enemies took special preference in beating X 'the freak' or 'the abomination' as I heard they liked to call him. And Nick hated it; he hated seeing someone he had come to value as his brother being treated in such a way. X was so depressed he honestly couldn't care at that point what anyone did to him, until Nick had to make the choice that sparked everything that has led to where we are today."

Mr Big stopped for a moment to take a sip of whiskey that had been handed in a tiny glass to him from one of the polar bears and a larger glass with the same whiskey had been handed to Judy. He knew it was a lot for the bunny to take in and was not surprised to see her down the glass' contents as though it were water.

"Two weeks into their capture; Nick received a message from Laurence through an inside source, that he would get to leave provided he did one task, whatever the enemy forces asked of him. When Nick asked about X's freedom, the fox was left in the dark as to what would happen there, and it was only later that he found out why. Laurence had brought Nick his freedom, at the cost of X's. You see, to Laurence, it was simple, they could just grow another X in the lab again, a better one this time around. So in exchange for Nick, X would have to stay and serve in the enemy's army. But not before they made Nick torture X. They made him pelt X, whip him, beat him, treat him as though he were savage, the final act of torture was when they tied X down, poured gasoline over him and gave Nick the matches. Nick didn't want to do it, he really didn't but he knew that if he didn't do this then he had beaten X for nothing. And then Nick did it. He set his own flesh and blood; a part of himself, on fire. They say that X never begged during the beating, just constantly cried out again and again; 'Why?'."

"I… I can't believe it." stated Judy; holding out a shaky hand for a refill as one of the bears who held a bottle obliged. "Nick would never do…" She let her words trail off as she remembered X showing her his scars.

"Nicholas was young, and he wanted to live. I would have probably done the same in his situation. Had he been an older animal, maybe he would have chosen differently. When our lives are threatened, it brings out the worst in us." Responded Mr Big, trying to add some resolution to the horrors he had just described.

That last phrase by Mr Big resonated deep within Judy as she remembered X showing her how she looked after he had almost suffocated her.

"Nick spent the next 7 years working his way up the ranks of Laurence's army. Working off the debt for his escape from captivity, and never forgetting X and what he had done to his half-brother. Then the day came where just like you saw X; Nick sat at the head table with Laurence and the others, and he was ready to ask his favour. I was still heavily involved in Laurence's operations at this time; his ideas then were still good for business. I remember Nick looking deeply into Laurence's eyes, and begging that the high ranking fox himself could lead an operation to go and retrieve X, if he were still alive after those seven long years. Laurence was resilient at first, but saw determination in his trusted companion's eyes and allowed it. Nick led a squad of thirty back into enemy territory, the war still continuing more so then, than it had before. And he found X, or rather he found what was left of him…"

Mr Big was interrupted by a loud crashing sound and immediately; four polar bears that had been standing in each corner of the room had crowded around the desk, ready to protect their boss.

"It would seem we have unwelcome visitors. Your paths was well hidden Judy Hopps, but not well enough." Mr Big stated while getting a distant look as he thought now on many other things. He would need to finish the tale later. "Tell me Judy." He began to speak again, "How badly do you want to see Nick again?" And with that, one of the bears shoved a rifle into her arms, and she stared at Mr Big with certainty. Her head was cloudy from the alcohol, but she had only one task on her mind. Stopping whomever was intruding. Mr Big had not finished telling Nick's tale yet. And she knew that the tale she was living out right now, she had to make sure was far from over.

* * *

 _A VERY BIG THANKS TO:_

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _ZENITH88_**

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _JAREL KORTAN_**

 ** _AND I BE FOXY THE PIRATE_**

 _YOUR FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS DEEPLY APPRECIATED AS IT LETS ME KNOW IF I'M DOING ANYTHING CLOSE TO HALFWAY DECENT OR IF I NEED TO RETHINK CERTAIN PLOT POINTS._

 _AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS FAVOURITED, FOLLOWED AND LEFT FEEDBACK PREVIOUSLY, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE HOW FAR THIS TALE HAS COME AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO THINK THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT. YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO SHAPE THE WAY THIS STORY GOES AND MORE OFTEN THAN YOU KNOW; YOU DO. I ADAPT THIS STORY CONSTANTLY TO YOUR NEEDS AND WANTS BECAUSE AFTER ALL, THIS ISN'T MY STORY, ITS **OUR** STORY._

 **SIDE NOTE:** Can I get three cheers for back story!? {HIP HIP HOORAY!} Can I get three 'boos' for lack of action? {BOO BOO HOO!} Fear not people, the next chapter will be a good and healthy mix of both.

Until then? Keep it classy!

Un4gottenSOUL


	12. Not Today

Judy reeled her head back in cover; more so whipped it than reeled as she had risked a glance around the wall to get a gaze on how many intruders she faced. Her curiosity almost caused an end to her life as instinct had her pull her head back. Bullets struck the concrete wall she hid around; causing clouds of dust to puff out and the bunny to cough as she got a face full of air-light debris.

She stood leaning against the door frame to Mr Big's office, a polar bear with her on the opposite side of the door frame. He would occasionally stick his gun out and blindly fire in the direction of the intruders to hold them off, this was only to stall them so that two of the other bears could see Mr Big to safety through a hidden exit. As they vanished through a trap door that was underneath the large wooden desk, Judy looked around and met eyes with the bear opposite her as well as another two that were crouched in cover behind a shelf they had toppled over.

The bear next to her did a final round of blind firing before he tugged uselessly at the trigger of his miniature machine gun, repetitive clicking indicating an empty magazine and he threw the gun to the ground, pulling out a pistol that was holstered at the waist. He looked to the bunny as if to ask her, 'Any ideas?'

Judy thought for a moment, before looking up at the bear and shouting over the incoming fire; "Wait for the firing to die down and while they're reloading I'll lead an assault!"

The bear squinted as if he could both hardly see and hear the bunny, but after a moment he nodded in understanding.

Taking a deep breath after hearing the enemy shots die down; Judy practically rolled around the door frame and began to run down the short passageway that linked a lounging room to the office of Mr Big. The heavy rifle seemed much lighter as her body pumped with adrenaline and she began a technique she learnt back in advanced training.

Knowing well that her opponents would soon again begin firing; Judy sprinted a little father, now near the end of the passageway she found herself hopping against one of the narrow passageway's walls and from there hopping to the opposite one. She began alternating walls and remained in the air as she opened fire down below herself at five tigers who were crouched behind a couch they had moved over as cover. Her aim was not as accurate like this but it sure made her a harder target to hit.

By the time she had emptied her gun, 3 of the tigers had fallen and were lying on the ground; groaning in pain. The last two had finished reloading and were ready to retaliate. Judy continued to dance between the two walls as they opened fire upon her up until she felt a bullet graze her jacket. Too close. Repositioning her body's angle forward she propelled herself at the last two tigers who had almost no time to react. As she came down on them from above; Judy picked one as gravity kicked in and struck him hard in the top of his head with her empty rifle. The shock of the blow rang through her small hands but were served justly for their cause as the tiger immediately went limp.

Landing deftly on the couch, Judy swung around ready to hit the next Tiger. But she was stopped in her tracks as she found the large barrel of a pump-action shotgun aimed right between her eyes.

Swearing at the bunny who was frozen in her tracks; the tiger stood up, cocked his gun and a single shot rang through the air.

Judy stared wide eyed as the tiger dropped his rifle, and he fell limply off to the side. Her face covered in the blood of her would be killer as through the haze of the passageway she had come from, the bear that had stood beside her emerged with his pistol aimed at the ready.

Her breathing was rapid and inconsistent as she thanked the large polar bear.

He shrugged in response, slightly lowering his guard. "You had a plan, it was a stupid one but it worked. I couldn't let you die for it. Mr Big would have my head otherwise." Walking around the couch the bear saw the three moaning tigers and the fourth one that was now starting to stir from unconsciousness.

The small bunny yelled her protest as four more bullets sounded off as the thug killed the tigers. She glared up at the polar bear disapprovingly. With blood running down her face she appeared very intimidating considering her stature.

Not wanting to look threatened the Polar bear shrugged again and stated, "They were sent to kill you, they deserved to die."

"No…" responded Judy meekly as she looked at the blood pooling around their dead bodies, She raised her voice with confidence and continued; "Everyone deserves to live, or at least the chance to redeem their lives." There was a bitter sense of irony and conflict in her words as she immediately thought of both Nick and X at that moment.

But she and the polar bear were pulled from their conversation at the sound of nearby gunfire. Judy's ears twitched into life at the sound and the polar bear growled as he bent to pick up the shot gun that had almost killed Judy. Almost shoving his way passed her; he made his way forward in the direction of the sound.

Judy sighed as she picked up a pistol from the ground and checked to see it had a full magazine. Following behind the bear she caught sight of herself in the mirror and immediately her mind flooded with flashbacks from her time spent being tortured by X. 'It feels good, doesn't it?' she could almost hear the monster saying within her head as she looked down at her now shaky hand that held a gun. Feeling herself going back to that dark place Judy was this time able in shaking it off and remembering her task at hand. Of course the hard liquor was helping her from getting too fixed on the morbid thoughts that now loomed over her mind constantly. If she did live through this; she'd have to personally request a bottle from Mr Big.

* * *

Sharp Sue stood from the unconscious chief's bedside; removing her hand from his.

The chief had been tended to by a private doctor and was now getting his first restful sleep since leaving the motel. That was until the first sounds of gun fire, and all staff tending to Bogo had left the room to aid their boss.

Walking away from the side of the large comfortable bed that the chief lay upon she looked back at him; regarding his even darker and sunken eyelids. This once immensely strong animal she looked up to now lay at her mercy and protection.

She stopped just in front of the closed, intricately decorated door of this lavish room. And turned the key; locking it. She could now hear the muffled movement of several very angry animals approaching the room.

Sharp Sue moved to the side of the door and hugged the wall and pulled out two pistols she had holstered at her waist. The seconds seemed to drag before she head shouts right outside the room and someone tugging forcefully at the door. Taking a deep breath; the lioness raised her arms and held both her pistols at her eye level. Taking a step back away from the door's side so she could get a better angle when they eventually burst through; Sue risked a glance at the chief before staring intently at the door that was now being rammed against. For the first time since basic training her hands shook with the guns she held and her breathing was starting to become short and erratic. Hearing more and more animals gathering around the door she could feel her odds going from slim to none.

She stared at the chief once more, but this time in resolute defeat, and thought she saw something.

Calming her breathing and flexing her raised arms she whispered to herself, "Not today."

 _** The young lioness raised herself from behind the sand bags and fired wildly at the approaching target. Six rounds she let loose and every single one missed. "Focus cadet!" shouted the approaching animal as it mounted the sand bags and toppled over and onto her side. She found herself face to face with the target she should have taken down long before this point. **_

The door seemed to heave and groan, like the hull of a wooden vessel being beaten by an ocean storm. And then the door gave way. Wooden splinters and fragments of the once door flew across the floor of the room and the first two mercenary tigers stumbled into her view from the side of the doorway.

Time seemed to slow as her left hand pulled the trigger, followed shortly by her right hand. The two mercenaries fell. Another followed right after; like water seeping through a crack, and seeing his comrades fall he had begun to raise his weapon. That was not before Sue could pull the two triggers of her firearms again. The tiger was struck twice in the chest; his body pulsed backwards with each bullet's entry point before he fell to the floor. Limp and lifeless. At this point her sense of time as a crushing force of reality had come back to her, and she noticed a moment's hesitation before any more tigers came bursting into the room.

Sue held back a curse as she stepped further back, startled; as automatic weapons sounded off through the door way and she saw dust and debris fly off the opposite wall, hitting every angle possible from the other side of the room. A few rounds strayed off to the right corner where the chief lay resting, but all were fortunately well above him. It was still too close for his protector's liking.

Sue would have fired blindly through the wall in the direction of her attackers, except the walls in this place were reinforced concrete, and she frankly didn't have the ammo to spare. She looked at the small handguns she held before flexing her arms once more to relieve the built up tension and she thought to herself while analysing the situations. 'Still sixteen rounds a piece. Plenty.' There was a sense of dry humour in that thought.

The gunfire had stopped for a few moments now, and over the numbing sensation her ears felt of having gunfire discharge so heavily around her she could vaguely make out murmurs and the clicking of metal sliding through metal.

They were reloading and regrouping, and a more planned attack she both could not fight off and would risk the chief's safety. She had to act now.

But before she could finish that thought. The sound of a small object striking the polished wooden floor of the room and the high pitched charging sound of an electric flash grenade made her heart skip a beat.

Knowing that her opponents on the opposite side would be covering their eyes; she seized her opportunity.

Running right in front of the doorway she saw seven more tigers gathered around the door. She opened fire and put four on the ground, one with each shot. By this point the remaining three looked up; startled at their comrade's cries of pain. And from across the room a painfully loud pop occurred and the 3 tigers and lioness were blinded by the flash bang. Sue stumbled back and found her rear end crashing into the bed frame where Chief Bogo lay. She was shaky and disoriented. She felt her fists clench and realised that she had dropped both her guns to shield her eyes from the blinding light. But it was too late for preventing the damage from being done. Sue could feel her eyes blinking, but everything was a murky, red shade and she could only tell where the light was on the ceiling; because when she stared up her vision was a slightly lighter shade of red. She was blind, unarmed and facing three enemies. Sue was in trouble.

 _** "You're in trouble now cadet!" the young lioness' target shouted out with audible disappointment. Before she could even react, the huge animal she faced had smacked the high pressure paintball gun from her hand, crouched to the ground, picked up a handful of sand and thrust it into her face. She let out a yelp of displeasure and fumbled back as her hands rubbed furiously at her eyes. She tried opening them, but her vision was blurry and it stung to open them. "Now you're weapon-less and visionless." Chuckled her attacker. "But you're not dead yet, fight for it cadet! Fight for your life!" **_

Grabbing the end of the bed tightly to reassure herself of her bearings; Sue then released the bed and began to walk forward with her hand outstretched until she felt a wall. She then leaned against it and waited.

"Damn!" Shouted one of the tigers, "I'm blind!" The other two tigers sounded off similar complaints and Sue Breathed a sigh of relief, they were all in the same boat.

Sue's ears flicked as a heavy hand struck the door frame after reaching about wildly to find it. "We have a job to finish!" Shouted the first tiger again as he nearly tripped over his fallen comrades while entering the room. "Keep your weapons low! I don't need to be shot by one of you fools! I saw her drop her weapons, so we won't need ours." The last part was finished with nearly a chuckle.

After hearing the other two stumble into the room, Sue took a few steps back as quietly as she could, her left hand brushing the wall so to keep her balance and orientation. Taking one more step back; her right foot put pressure on a squeaky wooden floor piece and she shuddered as she could almost feel through her blindness; the three tigers' heads snap in the direction of the sound. She put her hands to the floor and started to move to her right, away from the wall as she could barely make out steps moving towards her. As she crawled around she could now hear the loud and nervous breathing of the other blinded animals. And prayed that her own breathing was kept low, she felt as though it was, but adrenaline masks all your sensitive perceptions. Her heart was beating through her chest.

She stopped in where she assumed was in the middle of the room, she stayed in a tense and low squat with both her hands brushing the floor by her feet and her tail all but kept high and close to her body, for fear of knocking something and alerting them to her current position.

Before she knew it, Sue heard a foot hit the floor right next to her as the first tiger now stood on the left of her, right next to her. He must have been waving one arm about to try and find something within grasp because Sue felt the wind of his movements skim through her head hair and that sent a shiver down her spine.

Knowing it was now or never; Sue made her move. With fluid precision she swung her right leg around while in her squat. Her side kick tripping the tiger right next to her. He landed hard onto his back. Crawling on top of the stunned tiger she simultaneously reached for his rifle with one hand and her other hand felt out the location of his face. Before he could recover and start lashing out at the lioness on top of him; Sue had smacked him in the face had with his own gun. Hit body going limp was all she needed to know.

The noise created by the struggle lead to the other to tigers moving hastily in her direction and she knew that she couldn't take them both at once. Readying the rifle as her natural talent with firearms took over; sue listened carefully and located the direction the tigers were approaching from. Not wanting to risk shooting at Bogo; Sue let loose half a magazine in a low horizontal line, hitting both her targets where she intended to. At least she assumed so. The two animals cried out in pain as they fell to the ground giving off loud thuds as both had been shot in their lower legs.

Not waiting for them to respond; Sue stood up and ran forward until she felt one of her feet strike one of the squirming and blinded tigers. She began to kick and stop furiously. For a few moments he cried in pain, but soon enough he stopped. But Sue was in a craze and kept on kicking. She had never felt such a rush, such determination to live. That was until the last tiger had crawled over to the sound of the commotion and had grabbed one of Sue's ankles and pulled her to the floor.

As he began to climb on top of her Sue lashed out, scratching, clawing and punching the unfazed Tiger who made his way further and further over her; simply grunting and ignoring the pain as his body had hit its own round of adrenaline. Sue was suddenly shocked at the feeling of large strong hands around her neck as they began to squeeze. The lioness gasped for air and began trying to claw up at her attackers face, but he was larger than her and she couldn't fully reach.

Sue struggled, kicked and clawed as well as she could, but the tightness on her throat became too much, sounds became distant, and the red tones in her vision started to go grey.

Two loud bangs occurred, but Sue felt as though she heard them from under water. The next thing she knew if felt as though the grip around her neck was loosening. The heaviness of the dead tiger was all she felt as her lungs screamed; filling with air. She took a few deep breaths as her eyes came back to the red, blinded tones , before she fell unconscious, from days of built up exhaustion and probably the toughest battle of her life. She lay resting under the body of her would be killer.

 _** The young lioness took a beating from her target, before she was thrown to the ground and the wind knocked out of her. She lay in defeat, rubbing her eyes again and this time managing to clear the dirt from her vision. Her target: Commander Bogo reached down to help her to her feet. "When you're out there as a badged officer, every day could be your last. But your actions will decide if your last day is today or not. When you find yourself in a pinch, just remind yourself, convince yourself, not today. " **_

Chief Bogo sat with beads of sweat swarming around his brow, his wound hurt like hell but his tired arm held firm; pointing the weapon that Sue had placed in his hand a few minutes ago. Smoke trickling from the barrel; the chief sat back and took deep controlled breaths. Staring out the door with his hand ready to fire the pistol at any more approaching intruders he whispered silently back at the unconscious lioness. "Not today Sue, not today."

Chief Bogo could hear that outside, much of the fighting had only just begun.

* * *

 _A VERY BIG THANKS TO:_

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _ZENITH88_**

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _JAREL KORTAN_**

 ** _AND I BE FOXY THE PIRATE_**

 ** _TIMCE2_**

 ** _HPALEX13_**

 ** _NOAH RHODES_**

 _Author's Note: Please understand that I never stopped writing, I plan on seeing this story through to the end. Sometimes life happens and everything else gets put on hold, but I will NEVER leave this incomplete. The people who left reviews (Written in bold above) thank you, you are literally my light in the dark when it comes to writing this. And to everyone who dropped private messages of support, you know who you are, and thank you too._

 _This here was an action chapter for you sassy adrenaline junkies! You're welcome. I tried to make it as clear as possible, but in case you are wondering what the scenes marked with ** mean; they are supposed to be flash backs ;) I'm open to suggestions if there is a way I can improve upon that._

 _Yours faithfully_

 _Un4gottenSOUL_


	13. How to be a Savage

Finger squeezed against the trigger, again and again. Judy aimed low to take out the legs of a squad of newly arrived tigers. There seemed to be no end to them. They streamed in like water flowing freely from a tap, and the repelling forces here at Mr Big's estate were starting to show signs of fatigue.

Judy turned back into her cover; a concrete pillar supporting a second story veranda, the moment she felt bullets were flying in her direction. She stared blankly in front of her, her breathing erratic, and her small hands barely holding onto the gun that was just too large for the small bunny to handle. Her ears hung limply behind her head; numb from the constant storm of bullet fire that had left here feeling as though she were hearing everything under water. She could almost feel the sticky clumps of fur on her face from the now dry blood, were her entire body not near complete numbness from a combination of both fatigue and on-going adrenaline.

The fight, after half an hour, was now swinging in the attackers favour. While Mr Big's bears were well prepared for an onslaught, the sheer never ending numbers of the incoming tigers had reached a point of seemingly overwhelming them. There needed to be a huge tipping point now to change the direction this losing battle was going for Judy. And that's when she saw it.

An opportunity was quite literally floating above her head.

Feeling as though a slight breeze had picked up; a cool air seemed to brush against Judy's sweat drenched fur and focusing her tired, worn ears till they limply flickered into life, she could make out a low rhythmic thumping above the sounds of the gunfight.

With zero regard for her cover; Judy peered around the concrete pillar and gazed heavenward. A helicopter hovered over the centre of the battle where she stood. It was large and luxurious from the outside impression. Almost completely white; it stuck out against the dark blanket that was the night sky. And arrogantly illuminated by a special spotlight on the side of this flying vehicle was an emblem. A striped claw of black and orange. Judy ran through her memories to try and think of where she had seen it before and then it hit her like a ton of bricks. All the tigers and tigers alone that pursued her, the never depleting resources of those that hunted her, the blind eye the mayor took to all of this. She had met the one behind these attacks before, back at Laurences warehouse; he bore a large gold ring with the same emblem, and seeing as he simply vanished from the warehouse when Laurence's army fell, it came as no surprise to her that she found him here, now. Arrogantly hanging overhead, watching others do his dirty work.

Judy looked around above her and guessed that the helicopter had to be hovering around roof height to the maze of buildings that was Mr Big's property.

Dropping her gun with absolute resolve in her new plan, she ran through a doorway behind her and back into the building she came from.

* * *

A tiger sat in the back of the luxurious helicopter; sipping slowly at a glass of wine as he listened contently to the sounds of fighting below him. He always hated turning against a business partner like Mr Big, but at the end of the day; it is just business. No, it was more important to take out Ex-Officer Judy Hopps as she had cost him more financially than and endeavour from recent memory. He sighed momentarily while reflecting on the millions he lost while funding Laurence's movement and millions more to track down Ms Hopps, even though it hardly dented his colossal fortune.

His reflection was cut short as he clenched his glass in shock, almost breaking it, were there no noise around him; one could hear the glass beginning to crack under pressure. However the only glass breaking was that of the passenger window to this helicopter. To his right a figure burst through the window and landed with a thud on the plush leather seating opposite himself and sitting back to back with the pilot.

Judy shook her head as though to clear it. Her heart was racing a mile a minute.

She dropped her jacket which she had coiled around her right arm to break the window and glared at the tiger opposite herself. He was trembling, fear and shock evident through his eyes as he looked at the building she had to have jumped from to gain entry and saw an easy twenty foot gap between it and the helicopter. "Impossible…" He stuttered, it was almost in audible between his heavy eastern accent and the shock his voice held.

He looked back at Judy who appeared anything other than the cute ignorant bunny that Laurence had pulled into their scheme. Her black tights were torn in multiple places up her legs, her white vest was now a shade of grey; between smoke and dirt, as well as sharing its own few tears and cuts with a several stains of blood to add to the scare factor. Her face, set hard in a look he could only describe as 'to kill' with a dry blood spatter staining across it and her head twitching from adrenaline.

All it took was to then see the ring dangling her ear heavily in of her face and he gasped. Speaking once more, more calm now, his voice and accent rolled like a dance to Judy's ears as he stated, "It is worse than I feared, you have become X."

The insult cut Judy to the heart and she was ready to lash out and end this miserable fiend, but something deep inside her fought back the urge. Deep down she knew she was better than X, and she wouldn't let this new side of herself win. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them to find her vision cleared and her mind more stable. "We need to have a chat." She stated bluntly while snatching the glass of wine from his frightened hand and taking a deep sip, savouring the red variety's fruity-punch. "But first, call your men off the attack."

Suddenly seeming to find his composure, he let out a musical and somewhat theatrical laugh before responding, "I don't think you're in any position to make demands Ms Hopps."

Her face almost set into a look of confusion before her right ear flicked at the sound of metal clicking from the co-pilot's seat. Reacting more from instinct than anything else; Judy crouched low fast as a gun was discharged next to her head and her ears went number as her vision blurred from the shock. Keeping a level head; she rose quickly and threw the glass in the face of the co-pilot while snatching his pistol as his hand pulled back to shield his face from damage that had already been done. Scooting her rear in a fluid one hundred and eighty degree movement she plonked herself next to the leader of this assault and now held the pistol to his head. "I don't think you understand how serious I am being right now Mr… I don't believe I ever caught your name." Judy spoke tauntingly as she now held the upper hand.

"G… Gael," He answered, stuttering in a manner Judy could only call cowardly, as she saw it sink into his little mind that all the money in the world could not save him from a bullet and a single bunny with little to lose. "Lord Gael." He corrected himself, as he tried desperately to hide behind his title.

Judy had never enjoyed being the one to apply pressure like this. She had always been the one to stand against the 'bully' stereotype and not add to it. Whenever it came time to interrogate a suspect she would gladly let Nick take the lead and she knew that her comfort zone with such techniques was so slim that Nick would request that she leave the room whenever a suspect was not willing to provide information they needed, she had always hated that he needed to do it, but she would emphasise the fact that it was needed and that gave her a little closure each night. But now, something was changing within her. Seeing this mighty and powerful animal tremble before her, at her every whim. She felt exhilarated, enthralled. Dare she think it… She was enjoying this.

"So here is how this is going to work, Gael." She spoke emphasising his name with a played accent as she sunk back into a lounging position on the leather seating while leisurely pointing the gun at the trembling animal before her. "You're going to be a good little tiger and call off the attack. Then you're going to land this chopper, and we are going to have a nice little chat." She ended her demands with a large and sarcastic grin.

Judy held a totally different persona. Watching the tiger before her struggle with his pride fighting against his survival instinct as he hesitantly picked up a phone that sat next to the wine and glasses on a small table in-between the two leather seats and call his men off the attack. Within moments there was a lot less shooting and rather the shouts of animals fleeing as best as they could without being mowed down by the defending side as the now had free range to fire without fear of retaliation.

A quick word to the pilot and co-pilot who had constantly kept on glancing back at their boss in concern and he had them landing the helicopter in a clearing outside Mr Big's Estate where a bunch of Polar bears had gathered, obviously ready to seize whoever was in the flying vehicle. As they touched down a bear almost ripped open the door and grabbed the defeated Lord and dragged him off to Mr big, the same was to be done with the two in the front of the helicopter and Judy sat back and relaxed in the helicopter for a moment while savouring her victory.

Something caught the corner of her eye and she turned her head to see X sitting next to her, sipping on a glass of wine. "Enjoying yourself?" He asked while giving her a curious and taunting expression. Shaking her head in stark horror; she stared at where he sat to find he had never been there at all. It was all in her head. Was she going crazy? And then the guilt of how she had just acted seeped like dirt into her fur. She felt filthy, and overall disgusted at herself. She needed to keep a better check on this new found persona and abilities, as well as she could.

Judy walked back into the centre of the estate, it was the aftermath of a warzone. Although she had gained access to the estate from the city centre, she had travelled in an underground passageway back out to the outer region of Zootopia. But even their distance from the masses wouldn't keep her former fellow cops from coming and sniffing around. The only reason there weren't officers all over this place right now was probably because Mr Big was paying someone higher up to keep their noses out of this mess for as long as possible. The noise and commotion of a full on mini-war had to have drawn some attention. And Judy didn't want to be here when the seekers come looking.

Judy's small frame tensed as she walked by a mixture of moaning and pleading from tigers lined on the ground as a polar bear went around ending them one by one. With each bullet fired; another life ended. She felt her blood start to boil. The next thing the polar bear knew was pain, he felt it digging deep into his chest as his head jerked forward and he found himself eye to eye with a furious bunny.

Judy had jumped up and dug her feet as hard as she could into the chest of the bear as with both her arms she pulled hard on the collar of his black t-shirt, forcing him to make eye contact with her as she balanced on his large frame. She glared deep into his eyes. Her unusual strength had his body bending at her will and she could sense both his shock and horror at his predicament. "Stop. Killing. Them." Judy stated as calmly as she could. Too many lives had ended over these last few days and she was absolutely sick of being around death. "Don't punish them for doing their job." She finished and the bear meekly nodded his head in understanding as he stared at the bunny wide eyed. "Good." She answered plainly as she hopped down and began to walk back to one of the main buildings on Mr Big's land. "Get as many as possible seen to with medical attention. I assume that law enforcements will be here soon enough and I'm sure they will be more lenient if you hand over LIVING culprits." Judy shouted over her shoulder before disappearing into the large wooden doorframe of the once immaculate and now blood-stained house.

* * *

The large white hand of a polar bear opened a door and Judy walked into complete darkness and suddenly felt claustrophobic as it encased her in its blind solitude. Remembering her time spent in total darkness with Nick wade her heart race and brought fear to the surface. She was less than comfortable as it was and this just added to her unease. The door closed behind her, ceiling her in with the darkness and the click of the door's latch meeting the frame made her fur stand on edge. She was on the brink of doing something drastic when an overhead light came on and she saw Lord Gael; sitting opposite her behind a crude table, restrained to a chair.

An intercom seemed to squeak into life from a corner of the room and Judy heard the familiar sound of Mr Big's weighted voice beaming through.

"I think it's time the tale I was telling was finished Miss Hopps, and no one better to do so than an old business friend of mine and the main funder to the project that created X, Lord Gael."

The restrained lord's head suddenly bolted around the dark room, seeking his old business partner so that they could come to some sort of accommodation, his eyes filled with terror. He started rambling and begging out loud to the darkness itself for all that Judy could gather, as Mr Big was clearly turning a deaf ear to the creature behind the attack on his estate.

The small bunny hopped on the table and sat cross-legged on top, staring into the eyes of this belittled lord. She observed his appearance freely. He now sported a swelling eye that would soon enough begin to bruise and darken, his expensive, white-silk button up shirt was stained with blood, his own blood; compliments of what Judy could see was a busted lip. He wasn't beat to a pulp, but just enough to knock him down from his high horse.

Judy was most shocked at herself though. A week ago she'd have asked to leave the room; she'd have wanted no part of this. And although she didn't enjoy this scenario in the slightest, at most she felt neutral to the whole thing. She needed information, and knew it would probably take a little incentive to get it.

"I've heard much of the history behind the creation of X, how Nick and his squad were captured and then Nick was released under extreme conditions. I want to hear the rest of the tale now. Tell me how this story ends." Judy spoke plain and clear, taking long pauses and deep breathes between her words so as to be as clear as possible the first time.

The lord looked up at her with a meek and injured expression, "Okay… Okay, I'll tell you how it happened."

* * *

Nick was hyperventilating. He had been forced into some sort of posture collar by X. It wrapped around his neck and curved down his spin, ending in a locked position around his waist. It forced him into a crawling movement that could only be called savage and primitive. He could not stand, but that was not the cause for his fear. X had locked a muzzle over his mouth and that was one fear that Nick had never overcome. The feel of the leather digging into the skin of his face, restricting the movement of his mouth, impairing his speech which was as Nick liked to think; his greatest asset.

X crouched next to Nick and whispered softly, "Not so fun when you can't talk your way out of this, is it?"

Standing up and walking across the pure white cell that now belonged to Nick; X turned on a radio and let the soothing sound of classical music run through it. Breathing deeply through his nose and savouring a moment he had been waiting years to experience he turned back to look at his handiwork. Nick shivered where he was; wherever his completely bare flesh touched the cold tiles beneath him added little comfort to his helpless predicament.

"Do you remember the day that you found me again? When you came back for me?" X asked while walking back over to nick who was unable to really life his head with the posture collar so only his eyes could follow X's movements. "I do." He went on as he now stood right in front of Nick, crouching low so that their eyes met.

"I remember you bursting through the doors of the army headquarters after slaughtering countless animals, storming straight to the leaders planning room to demand my release… Only to see that after seven years of being trained like a wild animal and fighting like a wild animal. I had become a wild animal leading this bunch of sick and twisted creatures myself."

X slapped Nick jestfully across the face before continuing. "Look I know you're not quite comfortable right now but try to bear with me here. Anyway… Where was I? Oh, right! Yes, they thought it was quite entertaining after you left to treat me like the freak I was, but the problem was; you treat someone like a freak long enough and they stop playing by the rules. So what happens?" X clapped his hands together loudly before placing them on his bent legs and finishing his thought with a mad glint in his eyes. "Hostile takeover!"

Standing up and walking over to a table out of Nick's field of view, X continued. "I began using their own methods against them, refining and perfecting it until I figured out how to break their so called civilised ways and turn them back into the animals that they should be. Once that was perfected I went about learning how to train their obedience. Do you know what the difference is between an obedient soldier and an obedient savage?"

X who had been busy with his hands while talking; now walked back in front of Nick and set down two bowls in front of him. "The difference is; a soldier will fight for you as long as it benefits him, then he will turn and run away like a coward the second the tide turns against him. A savage will fight to the death, and the closer they get to death; the stronger and more resilient they become."

Nick looked down at the bowls to see one contained a gruel-ish food and the other water.

"Let me be clear on something." X began again while he slowly began to undo the muzzle from Nick. "I do not hate you for what you did to me. I am bigger than that. I only despise you for what you are, and everything you stand for. I could have lived with the fact that you used me to gain your freedom and that was the savage way out. You saw an opportunity to survive and you took it… But then you came back for me." X removed the muzzle and Nick took a deep breath before flexing and relaxing his jaw freely. "Weak, Nick. And Now I finally get to remove that weakness from you all together."

X then stood and crossed his arms. "Eat up, brother."

Nick took another deep breath before responding in a course voice; starved of food and water for two days now. "You… are not my brother. And I would sooner die, than be your savage."

Nick couldn't look up to see X, but X bore a massive smile across his sinister face. "Fine, we will play it your way, Nicholas Wilde… we will try again tomorrow."

X bent down and forced the muzzle back over Nick. The fox's drive almost broke as he was forced back into his largest possible discomfort zone. He tried screaming out but the muzzle would allow no such activities.

Picking up the bowls, X walked out and shut the massively-thick door behind himself, sealing Nick to his solitude and nightmare of a fate.

* * *

 _A VERY BIG THANKS TO:_

 ** _DANNY-171984_**

 ** _DIRTKID123_**

 ** _HPALEX13_**

 _Your continued support and feedback always helps when writing this story. I am reaching out to some very dark ideas and thoughts so it is harder to write and does take a lot more energy._

 _And thanks to everyone that has been following this! You guys are great! Reading my little take that HOPEFULLY Disney will never actually make a thing, perish the thought that such terrible things could happen to such honestly great characters._

 _I think there's a good two more chapters to this so I will try to get them out a little quicker now. Otherwise you lovely peeps can take it easy._

 _Yours faithfully_

 _Un4gottenSOUL_


	14. Crystal Clear

"After Nick Wilde saw X for what he had become, he staged a tactical retreat with his unit and safely made it back with no casualties. But that is only because X had no intensions of killing any of them… Just yet." The shattered Tiger lord took a deep breath as he glanced up at Judy and saw her piercing eyesight, quickly he found himself staring at the table, trying to gain some solace other than this powerful Bunny's judging eyes. "Little did Nick know, or at least we assumed he didn't know… He was being followed back to their Headquarters where X then attacked directly. An operation that had taken fifteen years to build up was then destroyed within an afternoon as X's forces came crashing in on Laurence's unsuspecting army. Not wanting to face the facts that not only had Nick lost his brother, but he had also caused the fall of his employer who he had looked up to his whole life; Nick ran and started life anew."

"Where has X taken Nicholas?"

Judy's voice was cold and factually, a little louder than a whisper in the eerily silent interrogation room as she sat on the table, staring at the Tiger who simply could not hold eye contact after finishing his retelling of Nick and X's history.

"There… There was a farm that Nick and X had been given by Laurence for their services and as a show of appreciation, before they were captured by the enemies. After everything that happened; Nick deserting his service and X being the leader of the opposing army, the farm was no one's. Until word reached X that Laurence was seeking to expand operations once more, but instead of cloning hybrid animals, he was looking to improve upon them by making them super animals. And suddenly X called a truce with Laurence, saying that all hostilities between their forces would stop and X would even aid Laurence where possible. Provided that he got the farm Laurence had promised him and that they found Nick and got him in on this endeavour."

The tiger's voice had become a little course and Judy showed him the courtesy of requesting a glass of water. A bear knocked on the door and Judy took the glass of cold refreshment from him, with thanks. She placed the glass on the table in front of the tiger and he stared at it eagerly, the glass beginning to mist as its coldness met the humid air of the small room.

"Tell me what I need to hear and you can have the drink." Judy spoke as she got comfortable again; cross-legged on the table top, sitting opposite the tiger.

"Roughly two years ago they found Nick, and told him that provided he did what they asked, he would be given amnesty from all he had done to Laurence's operations. But looking back in retrospect, I can see that X never intended to." Suddenly the tiger saw the chance to glare up at her defiantly and smirked at the humour of Nick's foolishness.

Judy's eyebrows raised as her eyes remained narrow, she pouted her lips so much as to finish off her look that just screamed; 'Really?' She took hold of the glass of water and had a deep sip, making sure to gulp loudly and let out a loud sigh as she finished a good third of the contents before placing it back down. "I'd like to be clear when I state that this glass is not getting a refill, so if I were you, I'd drop the sass and continue."

The tiger looked at her with total disgust, as though her mouth had diseased the glass that he would have to drink from. He almost spat his words out as he continued; his eyes deadlocked with hers now. "At the same time, roughly two years ago… They had found out that Mayor Lionheart, teamed up with his deputy; Bellweather had been working on a drug to enhance animal abilities. However the two of them had a fall out and that's what led to the missing mammals incident. Nick's job was to get as close as possible to their operations and attain as much of their research as he could… And that's where you come in, Ms Hopps."

Judy's ears flicked at the mentioning of her name and she leaned forward listening with deeper intent. Her eyes locked deep into those of the now defiant tiger.

"What do you mean?" She asked with genuine concern.

The tiger grinned in response before simply stating. "Tax evasion."

Judy's ears dropped behind her head and suddenly it all made sense.

"You don't honestly believe that someone like Nick would walk into such an easy slip up as that. You were both his bait and his way into the case Judy. He's been using you from the beginning."

The bunny suddenly felt as small and insecure as she had ever felt her entire life, as her mind and body began to retreat to that dark place instilled by X. When suddenly; like a candle illuminating through the dark, Judy remembered the time Nick cared for her while she was hurt. After the case. After they had long since left all ties to the case. He stayed for her, he knowingly gave up his safety and eventual freedom to be with her. Nick was smart, he knew a day would come where his past would catch up to him and he was desperately spending as much time as he possibly could with Judy. He betrayed his superiors and broke every standard he had ever set himself because he loved her.

The bunny's eyelashes fluttered as she lowered her head, and for the first time since leaving Nick's house; she felt a warm smile spread across her face.

This whole time she had been told that Nick was only looking out for himself, believed that to be true herself. When Nick had always been looking out for others, anything he had done was in the hopes of helping those he loved.

And now… He needed her help in return.

Judy's eyes grew narrow as her head shot up. The tiger before her had taken to rambling on about Nick's betrayal and she had lost herself in this new revelation. Shooting up on to her feet and interrupted him by shouting plain and clearly; "Where is the farm?"

The tiger stared at her with a blank and startled expression.

"Where!" Judy shouted again, now grabbing the tiger at the collar of his shirt.

"Are you mad?" He shouted back as he pulled himself back against her grip. "X will have my head!"

"X is the least of your problems." Judy growled as she gripped tighter and pulled the tiger in close so her eyes were a hair's distance from his. The outer edges of her vision had started to pulse a dark red, and she could feel her new found instincts starting to kick in. But she fought it and focused on what she needed, Information.

"Okay, okay!" The tiger pleaded before continuing through several stutters; "Beyond the rainforest district, outside of Zootopia. About eighty miles in that direction is a 5 acre farm. There is where you'll find him. It won't show on any maps or records, but trust me… It's there.

* * *

The door opened and re-latched shut with force, Judy's bunny eyes quickly readjusted to the bright lighting of this room and she now found Mr Big, as always, seated in his perfectly scaled leather chair, which rested on a crud desk that was set up as so to peer through a one way mirror into the interrogation room she had just left. Naturally there were two very large and intimidating polar bears behind him, ever watching and protecting their boss.

"So now you know the truth about Nick…" Mr Big began, just to be interrupted by Judy.

"Now I know what he did to keep me and everyone else he cares about safe!" She snapped back at the powerful mob boss before her, glaring at him from over her shoulder with an accusing finger pointed out at him.

The bears kept their pan expressions but Judy could clearly hear low growls coming from deep within them and immediately realised the immense disrespect she had just shown her host, but she held her ground. For after all the lies and misinterpretations she had been fed, everything was now looking crystal clear and she would have no more of people feeding her rubbish.

Instead of taking offense to the disrespectful blow sent out by the bunny, Mr Big's aged face creased into a smile and his bushy brows lifted lightly as he let out a low chuckle. "There is the Officer bunny I knew from when we first met!" He stated while gesturing loosely in her direction. "Try not to wear that uncertainty over yourself again darling, it's really not your colour." Mr Big then snapped his fingers to the bear that stood on his right and pointed at Judy, "Tell me my dear, what do you need to wrap up this whole mess for once and for all, and I will give it to you."

The bunny nodded with gratitude towards Mr Big, before looking up at the bear with a furrowed brow of certainty, "A plane, guns and ammo, my gear and bolt cutters."

* * *

Reaching behind herself and pulling the zip up of her blue uniform, Judy felt as though she were putting on a second skin that felt more natural than her own flesh. The last item she pulled on was her light, day-to-day, bullet proof vest. She popped the collar as she looked at herself in the mirror and breathed a sigh of relief. She had felt as though she were living in someone else's body these past few days and it most definitely felt good to be back. She slotted a pistol with live ammunition where her taser usually lay holstered, and clipped in as many spare ammo clips as her utility belt would permit. She wondered how Mr Big's men had even gotten near her home, let alone inside to retrieve her uniform, but was grateful none the less for their aid.

Judy stepped in front of a full length mirror; the room she was in was identical to that of Sue's and the Chief's. She would make a point of seeing them before she left. And as she admired the sheer 'rightness' of her appearance now; clean and neat and civil, she caught sight of her police badge. Running a finger over her metal certification as an officer of Zootopia, Judy then gave it a good squeeze with her small hand, before unclipping it and throwing it into a duffel bag with the rest of her spare belongings. She held the zip to the bag, ready to close it when the badge caught her eye again. She took a deep breath and whispered to herself; "As an officer of Zootopia, it is my duty to serve and protect all of its residents for the greater good. And now one of its best citizens lies in the wake of absolute danger. I do not deserve this badge until that citizen…" Judy choked and felt her eyes begin to water, "Until Nick, my Nick, is returned safely to his home." And with that she zipped up the bag and dropped it on the floor, giving it a swift kick under the bed.

Walking back to the mirror she picked up the large and heavy bolt cutters that lay on the bed, looking at herself with a smile, Judy quickly groaned and was overcome with a tired and fed up expression as her left ear came round front and bobbed in front of her face. The heavy metal ring taunted her as much now, as it did when she was first given it. "Right." She stated loudly as she positioned the heavy cutters so they looped into the ring. "It's time… for you…" She continued as she began to exhort her strength and apply as much strength as she could, "To go!" Judy shouted out loud as it took all of her natural power and a sudden rise of her hidden power to crack the ring. The sound of heavy metal striking the wooden floor and feeling her ear lift up as though it were a feather blown lightly in the wind; Judy looked up at herself and shock turned to Joy as she saw both her ears standing high and proud.

It took both hands to throw the heavy cutters back onto the bed as they landed with a thud, and without a second thought about the ring that now lay on the floor, Judy walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Leaving all her doubts, fears, hate and loss behind.

Judy walked on, with only the trust she held in her heart.

* * *

Sharp Sue's ears flicked at the sound of a small being walking into the room. Sue had her eyes shut tight as she was still blinded from the assault and would probably not be able to see for a couple more days still. Her breathing was deep and uneasy as she sat rigid on the right side of Chief Bogo's bed. She felt him reach out and gently grasp one of her tightly clenched fists that rested in her lap. "It's only Hopps." His deep voice reassured her although heavy strain and a long way to recovery were evident in his tone.

Judy felt the worlds weight lifted off of her shoulders to see the chief alive, recovering and for the first time in a while; conscious. "Chief!" She exclaimed as she hurried to the side of the bed and stood before the seated lioness and the resting chief. Immediately noticing Sue's shut eyes, Judy asked, "Trouble on your end too?"

The lioness' eye brows raised while her eyes remained shut and her face went from a look of concern to one of animated reflection as she brought a hand to her neck and rubbed it lightly. "There was an attack, but between the chief and myself; we had it handled. And don't worry about me, the Doc here says I should start regaining sight within a couple of days."

Judy sighed out a chuckle as she looked up at Sue and then directly at the chief who couldn't help grinning himself. "You can always count on our chief to break his comatose state for a good fight."

The bunny's tone suddenly shifted as realised just how much the chief had missed out on. "Chief…" She started, "There are some things…"

Bogo cut her off, "Susan…" He corrected himself "Officer Clawton has filled me in on everything, once she regains her eyesight we will make a public appearance and get 'caught' deliberately. By then I should be well enough to travel at the very least. If this whole thing has gone down as Lionheart has intended, then he has won this battle, tarnished our good names and taken a lot of weight we have in terms of public trust. But the force knows our loyalty to the city and will back us up in regaining that trust." He took a deep breath before shifting and repositioning himself in the bed so he sat up a little better. Judy could not help but take note of how the movement caused Sue to clutch his hand that held her own.

"Like I said Hopps, he won the battle, but there is still a whole war ahead. While we deal with the collateral here, you focus on getting Wilde back and if possible, gaining as much information on the involvement of our Mayor in all of this. Can you do that for me?"

Standing in her uniform; Judy could not think of a better opportunity to snap her posture rigid, slam her feet together and give the chief a strong salute, raising her right arm fast to her head. Her eyes focused and brows slightly furrowed. "I've yet to let you down chief, I don't intend on starting now."

* * *

It was late night the following day that Judy saw the lights of the farm over a rise in the land. She had been walking for almost an hour in the pitch black night after a slow two hour drive in the back of a van. She opted to walk the last stretch so to avoid possible detection, although she was almost certain that all hell would break lose in any case.

She held her hand in front of her face. It was so dark that the only thing she could see was it's silhouette cast against the distant lights of the ranch she was about to infiltrate. Returning her hand to her side; Judy took one last look at the ranch before saying to herself. "Nick is in there. Somewhere…"

As she began strafing down the opposite end of the incline she had just climbed she finished her thought. "I trust you Nick, now I need you to trust me."

* * *

This was one of the few moments in Judy's career that she was glad for her small stature. She had snuck by three building-exterior patrols with ease. Two pairs of which were predators and the third some very intimidating prey.

Judy knew that her best chance of getting Nick out without causing any mayhem would be to eliminate any chance of being seen, and that meant taking out those who may be constantly checking the many security cameras that the small bunny was taking strain to avoid at all costs.

Without a map and only natural intuition, Judy found herself moving away from the main buildings and skipping along through the dark towards a small set of cottages out of the way and off to the side of the farm. One look at the roughly six to seven small houses told Judy's gut all she needed. They were lined like a military camp. Circling around to the other side let Judy see the military grade jeeps parked out of sight to anyone like herself that might have come snooping about.

So locating the security force was easy. 'Now the hard part…' Judy thought to herself as she hid behind one of the jeeps. 'Disabling the cameras and not alerting the roughly fifty animals strong; militia, these cottages could cater for.

Timing was key, and Judy knew this. She folded her ears back behind her head as her brows furrowed into concentration. A light breeze brew through her fur on this midnight in peril. And Judy watched as two animals came back from a patrol, a cheetah and a wolf. The wold knocked on the door of one of the cottages and stated something, before he and his cheetah counterpart opened the door to another cottage and went inside. Judy had spent the last half hour studying this pattern and now knew the routine each pair of animals had to go through. Every ten minutes a pair of patrollers would return before signalling that another pair should go out. The new pair of animals would then spend 8 minutes patrolling around the cottages before they could see another pair returning and then walk off to start their route of the rest of the farm. So in just over seven minutes time, Judy would have a less than two minute window to deal with the camera security. And fortunately she had figured out which building they were in. They only building undisturbed by patrols.

The wait was agony as her body began to pump up for the approaching rush as she knew that if she messed this up, then the extraction would be over and have failed before it even began.

As she saw the latest two patrollers walk away, Judy almost jumped in the air as her body took off. She ran straight for the cottage where she knew the camera security were and pressed her back flat against the wall next to the entrance door. Her chest rising and falling as her breath was heavy; Judy looked around and saw a camera right next to her on the corner of the cottage. It was not looking at her, fortunately, but it soon would as she saw it swivel on a small mechanism that rotated the camera a hundred and eighty degrees at a considerably slow pace.

Judy felt luck was on her side as this particular one seemed to jolt and move at a very rickety pace, as though it had been broken and shoddily repaired. Once again our lucky bunny had stumbled right into opportunity.

Inside the camera room sat a male zebra and a female lion. The zebra sat up close to a desk in front of 40 small, wall mounted monitors and was rather meticulously working on building the perfect sandwich for a midnight snack, the lioness sat more relaxed with her feet kicked up on that same desk and was rambling on about a story from her straining days as she casually watched over the various monitors.

Suddenly her eyes caught sight of something. One of the cameras wasn't rotating but was jolting back and forth while stuck in one position. "Ugh!" She groaned as she pulled her legs from the table and stood from the desk. "Camera four is stuck again."

"Mhm" Was the only response she got out of the zebra has he took his first big bite out of his masterpiece.

"Oh, Please, don't get up. I'll check it myself." The lioness enthused sarcastically while rolling her eyes before unlocking the door and walking outside to check on the camera outside their hut. "I swear, if I have to put through another request for new equipment-" Her statement was cut short as she immediately caught sight of the belt that had been tied around the camera, holding it in place as it jolted in protest.

The lioness had no time to react as she felt the bite of metal being pressed into her lower back and instinctively she slowly raised her arms. As any trained combatant would do with a gun placed to their back.

"Get on your knees." The lioness heard a small voice whisper and she complied, fearing for her life. She got down one shaky knee after the other.

"And goodnight." The small voice whispered again, closer to the lioness' ear. And before the predator had time to work it out; the gun left her back and went straight for her temple. She saw stars for only a moment before her vision blacked out.

Judy had rendered her unconscious. But her time was running out.

The Zebra took a second satisfying bite out of his sandwich. "Wow, that looks great!"

"Mhm, you bet." Responded the striped animal, before stopping mid chew and raising his head to look at the bunny sitting where his partner should be. With a slight grunt of exertion the small rabbit leapt forward and punched the zebra on his left cheek, sending backwards in his wheeled office chair and alas, he dropped the sandwich. He looked down with silent regret before looking up finding the bunny running along the desk, jumping up once more and whacking him hard in the side of his head. The zebra was out cold.

* * *

The cameras were disabled. The two animals Judy had knocked out had been restrained and dumped in a corner of the room and were not likely to rouse for a couple of hours. The bunny reckoned she had about twenty seconds to get moving or lose her window of opportunity. Taking a good and hard look at a map on the wall that gave a decent layout of the farm. Judy knew where she needed to go. As the last few seconds rolled by in her head. Judy stepped outside, closed the door and locked it, before throwing the key in a nearby bush and making a run for the nearby cover of the jeeps. It wasn't a moment after she was concealed once more that she heard a pair of patrollers knocking on a door of one of the cottages to swap shifts.

She had just made it in time.

* * *

 _ **PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU FIND ANY ERRORS SO I CAN FIX THEM ASAP.**_

 **A note from the author:**

So, I know saying I'm sorry for this long of a delay means absolutely nothing, which I will learn to live with, but I am truly sorry. After this chapter there should be one more and then a possible epilogue before this tale has reached its end.

After that there is the possibility of a sequel, but I want to give this plot line a break for now and write something else related to our favorite crime fighting duo.

As always thank you all for your continued support, it is honestly the whole reason I came back to this, I simply could not leave you all hanging with an unfinished fable. I know the power that these FanFictions hold if they find you in a time of need and a time to get away from all the nonsense life throws at you. I've had times like that myself, and not that my story is doing that for anyone, but if I can walk away giving someone a single second of distraction from something that's upsetting them, or happily filling their free time. Then that's a win for me.

Last chapter is in progress. This I can assure you.

Peace and love,

Un4gottenSOUL


	15. Predator's Prey (Part 1 of 2)

The light pitter-patter of Judy's small feet gently bounced off the walls as Judy descended down a flight of stairs opposite a lift. She was getting close to where she assumed Nick would be. Her heart began to race. It had been no easy feat sneaking around the farm even with the camera's disabled, but with a lot of patience and caution; the bunny had found herself closing in on the holding cells after half an hour of careful encroaching.

Setting foot on the bottom step, the bunny froze where she stood and her ears stood on edge, her left ear now sporting a hole through its top. Her gut sank and she suddenly felt faint as she heard and saw what she could only call a nightmare. A seemingly endless corridor of massively heavy doors and a constant low murmur of screaming animals from behind each of them as far as the eye could see, as well as the ear could hear.

Judy didn't know where to begin.

She began by hopping upon each door and opening a small latch that allowed those outside to peek in. But quickly she left this tactic behind after almost having her nose yanked off by either delusional or genuinely savage animals. She realised that X was building his world of savage animals, and by the looks of things he already had hundreds of them. Taking a step back from a particular badger that had almost gotten a hold of one of her ears; Judy sighed as she had to do something she really didn't want to.

She had to willingly call on her new hidden abilities, not all of them but one in particular. She had no method for calling upon them, but now was as good a time as any to learn. Closing her eyes and focussing only on her hearing; Judy found herself squeezing her eyes and focussing really hard on the sounds around her. Her ears reached high above her head as though they were stretching and trying to get longer, and then she felt it. Like something inside her had been holding a stick and gradually applied pressure until it snapped. Judy opened her eyes and could feel the heat around her eye-sockets; she had touched her untapped power, but was for the first time ever in complete control. The world around her seemed to slow slightly and she found herself now able to single out each animal's voice from their individual cells.

Judy continued walking down the corridor, the vibrations from her feet touching the ground pulsed through her entire body and she was aware of everything happening around her. If someone were to drop a pin a hundred yards away; she would hear and feel it. Judy winced as she now had a good idea of what X felt when Nick fired that gun next to his head. She was sure that if someone were to do that to her now she would be rendered unconscious immediately.

She continued her slow but thorough search for one voice in particular, trying her best to ignore the horror around her. When this was all over, she vowed that she would come back and help rehabilitate all of these poor mammals.

And then Judy froze where she stood and her frame went rigged as she turned her head to a door on her left. She recognised the voice within, and it was no friendly voice to her. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before sighing, Judy carefully let go of the tension and abilities she had come to possess and she found herself back to her normal state. The murmured shouts and screams of various animals seemed to morph together again, but she knew which door she was going to open, whether she liked it or not.

Judy groaned and murmured to herself within her head; 'Damn you morality.' And she hopped up on the door, grabbing a hold of the latch and sliding it open.

Immediately the voice from within became clear as day, the voice was stripped from hours, if not days of constant screaming. "Damn you X! I'll have your head for this! We will never be square again! I will get out! And I will kill you! And-

The voice cut out as it stared in total shock at the small, familiar face peeking through the latch in his cell's door. "Well I'll be damned, Judy Hopps in the flesh."

Judy closed the latch and hopped down to the ground, reaching up for the handle of the door she gave it a good tug down before pulling back and with a great amount of exertion it gave way and slowly swung open. The bunny unholstered her pistol and held it in steady hands as she walked carefully into the room, glaring at the animal that stood with his back against the wall opposite that of the door; he was the embodiment of fatigue and pain. Judy could see it in his face and by the way he was hunched over.

"Laurence Climberton, somehow you escaped the fiery pits of hell you monster." Judy snarled on the last word as she clicked the safety on her gun to disable it should the need to shoot come at any moment. "Well, most of you escaped." The bunny added as she glanced at the bandaged stump on his left shoulder, it was bloody and dirty and had not been changed for days, but there was certainly no arm there. His left leg was also mostly bandaged and overall he seemed to be dressed in some sort of light blue hospital overalls.

"Ah," The broken leopard began his response, his voice flooding with sarcasm and irony at this moment as now he stood the captor and Judy the free mammal. "I am afraid you haven't caught me at my best, I would bow but I hurt like hell, and you're right. Not all of me made it. Although I honestly dread to think of what X has done with my arm. You can never tell with that demon anymore." His tone ended in a reflective sense as though he was losing himself in a thought, but Judy knew this was a bluff. Laurence was merely playing it cool as she is his first and likely last chance out of here.

"I'll cut to the chase." Judy began suddenly, not willing to play along to Laurence's mind games. She had no time to let him play dominance as he clearly had the weaker hand of cards in this situation. She was now making all the rules and she knew it. "I am here to get Nick, and only Nick. After that I leave and it's up to you to decide on whether you leave here alive, dead. Or stay in this cell where I found you."

Sighing and dropping his act, Laurence replied, "Fine. You're not the foolish little rabbit I met… How long ago was it? One week? Two? It's honestly hard to keep track in here. Anyways, I will ask once and only once. What do you want from me, little bunny? You single handedly destroyed my lifes work in an instant and yet I still find myself at your will when we both know you should be dead. So in all honestly, it would be a mercy for you to shoot me right here." He raised his right hand to his forehead and tapped it lightly. "And end this bad run of mine. But I want to hear your offer before I make my counter offer. Now, we negotiate, like civilised mammals."

"Simple." Judy responded as she lowered her gun but kept it at hand just in case Laurence got any ideas. "You help me find Nick, and then you walk away from this. You leave Nick and myself alone. You don't come looking for us, you don't seek revenge. You leave Zootopia alone for good. Got it?"

"Hmm." Came His response as he pensively rubbed the roughed up and dirty fur on his chin, feigning as though he were thinking up an answer, but Judy already knew what he wanted, and frankly his attitude was getting old. "It seems a fair deal, considering the both of you are the reason for almost all of the troubles I face in my life, not to mention the crippling and deadly debt I face even if I make it out of here alive. But sure, I will take your offer under one condition."

Laurence's face split into his usual sinister grin, "We kill X."

* * *

X's eyes shot open in the pitch black of the night at the subtle glow of a flashing light as he gently sat up from his floor pallet. Years of being forced to sleep on the floor and no true desire to go back to the luxury of a proper bed had left him contempt with a more basic want in comfort. Only the faint illumination of a red, beeping light on his right had woken the hybrid from his sleep.

X rocked his head from side to side, cracking out any tension that was to be found, before blinking his eyes to go from dark orbs to a reflective and almost glowing set, that helped him see clearly through the dark of his master bedroom.

The room was sized for absolute luxury, but X had only the most basic of necessities around himself, the massive room was all but empty.

Standing nude and walking to one corner of the room where he had thrown a pair of trousers from the previous day's work he pulled them back on. His tail poked through its hole at the back, the base of it was that of a cheetah's tail, but as one's eyes followed the length of it they could see where the spots stop, the fluffy end of a fox's tail begins. Doing up his belt he took a deep breath in and out before turning to deal with the matter at hand.

He walked over to the still flashing light with no shirt; X had no intentions of putting one on. He hated how restrictive they were. Were the room not consumed by darkness then one could see the various markings, scars, blistered muscle of the well-toned and fit hybrid had all over his upper body.

Crossing his arms and looking down at where the particular light was coming form on a dashboard he had of hundreds of lights. He smiled in the dark, as the number below the flashing light was that of Laurence.

"A certain desperate bunny has finally come looking for her companion. And has predictably sought help from the least likely source. I should go pay them a visit, although… I think my security needs a good talking to first. I mean, if they can't stop one bunny then what am I paying them for?" X sighed and rolled his eyes as he spoke to no one, before crouching and picking up a voice com device and speaking into it. This device linked to all of his securities individual coms that they kept on themselves at all times. "Emergency meeting in ten minutes. Make sure everyone is there." His two toned voice sounded through in a demanding fashion. And with that X left his room, walking casually, as he went to go put the fear of mortality back into his security forces.

* * *

Judy moved at a jogging pace, pistol at the ready, held low by her hips as she checked each corridor they ran passed. Laurence limped behind, still suffering from his injuries but keeping up with the small bunny.

"Remember our deal Hopps!" The leopard grunted between course breathes as he fought fatigue to keep up with the bunny.

Judy's eyes darted around in the gloom of this poorly lit underground maze of tunnels as she gathered her bearings before picking a direction and continuing down a new corridor. "I know, we kill X!" She responded, shouting to no one but knowing that the leopard behind her would hear it. But she had no intention of killing X, Judy was determined that the wheels of justice would take him and she would personally see that X got help. She hated the hybrid monster with every fibre of her being, but he was still half Nick, which to her meant half a chance of saving him. Judy pulled herself from deep thought and added, "You'd just better be right about where you think Nick is."

"Trust me." Laurence started before panting and continuing, "I've been around here as both a captive and a business associate, I know where that monster would keep your fox."

Judy had seen many horrors since arriving at this place, she had been through the terrors of the holding cells, seen the transport room where hundreds of savage animals lay caged and ready to be shipped off around the world to 'various sick and twisted mammals with too much money' as Laurence stated as they passed through. But opening a door and coming out to what looked like a small and controlled reserve was the last straw for Judy. She knew she would find Nick here, because to X, this was a trophy room. And Nick was the monster's greatest prize. The area was about thirty square meters, and made to simulate that of a jungle, not too different from the one separating Laurence's old warehouse from Zootopia. Each corner of the room had a large spotlight, which Judy could only assume simulated day and night cycles, and around the three walls to her left, right and in front of Judy they were made of what seemed to be solid concrete up until about her height and then continued up with thick glass so someone, so X, could stare through at his handy work.

Laurence came in after Judy and noticed that the door had no handle once inside. "Hopps, I'll hold the door, you find Nick and we get out of here." He whispered to the bunny that was already three paces into the room. With how well lit this room was in comparison to the surroundings, he couldn't help but feel as though they were being watched in this room that was clearly built for observation. "And make it fast." He added. Before the bunny turned, gave him a serious look and nodded in understanding. Rustling through a bush as Judy pressed for the centre of this Jungle occupied room to begin her search. Judy spoke out to the universe.

"I'm coming for you Nick, and we leave here together."

* * *

The bunny stepped carefully over the raised root of a tree as she neared the centre of the miniature reserve. The shade provided from the plantation overhead made the spotlights come through as a mere gloom, barely enough to see where you were going.

"Right" stated Judy as she took a deep breath and closing her eyes, seeking her abilities to aid her in her search for Nick. And as she next opened her eyes, she could see almost as though there were a torch strapped to her head, illuminating the various shrubberies wherever she looked. She could feel the subtle vibrations of the area around her. Her nose flicked as she picked up a scent, Fox. Her ears stood on high and jolted in different directions like satellites and focused just to her right as she picked up the sound of what she could only assume was a chain being dragged across the floor.

As she turned and began to walk in the direction of the dragging sound, her senses began to morph into one, and it were as though she could see through the wall of plantation and pin-point exactly where the source of the sound was. But her head began to hurt and for the first time, Judy was forced to shake off her abilities. "Ow…" She exclaimed softly as she raised a hand to rub her temple. Not wanting to get distracted she pushed on and slowly emerged into a small clearing.

Slowly crawling back and forth, almost pacing; Judy saw Nick.

* * *

Nick turned his head at the sound of someone approaching. It took only a second's glance to recognise that it was Judy. 'Not here, not now, not like this!' his mind screamed the thought as he turned and began to run in the direction opposite to the bunny. Nick didn't get three meters ahead before his neck yanked back and he fell to the floor. He mentally cursed as he felt the tension in his neck; a steel collar, and attached to it was a long length of chain that Nick had conveniently gotten tangled a while back while trying to scope out his confines and hadn't bothered to go back and untangle it just yet. Although now he was wishing he had.

As he lay on his side, his arms propping him into a half seated position, Nick looked down and behind himself to see Judy approaching. He hung his head in shame.

"Oh Nick." He heard her exclaim, it came through as little more than a whisper. His ears fluttered at the sound of the beautiful bunny's voice; he thought he would never get to hear it again. It was therapeutic, but not enough to overcome his immense shame. How he must have looked right now to Judy he could think of nothing other than the word 'pathetic'. Naked, dirty, savage even, and with a collar and chain attached to his neck. He wanted to explain, he wanted to tell her so much, but the muzzle that was connected and linked to the collar and chain gave no room for speech. He deserved this, after all he had put her through, why wouldn't she just turn and leave, leave him to this fate he had set for himself.

She crouched next to him and he rolled onto his knees, his arms handing limply between his legs at some last attempt at modesty while his head hung low. 'Please, leave me.' The fox's mind screamed out, but all that came out was a whimper.

* * *

Judy looked over the fox before who couldn't even make eye contact. She reached out slowly to touch his face but he pulled away and let out another whimper.

She began to feel her eyes welling up. "Nick its… it's okay, I am not going to hurt you." Fighting to hold back the tears as she placed a hand under his chin and lifting his face, his eyes still looked away in shame. "I understand now, I know why you did it all. I know now, and I would have done the same thing in your position. You cared for me, cared for everyone close to you. You-

She was cut off as she saw his eyes start to water and the tears running down his face, pooling and falling over the straps of the muzzle.

Placing a hand on either side of Nicks face she begged in one final plea. "Nick, look at me, Please!"

His eyes darted ahead and met hers, and in them she saw years of pain and torment, regret and loss. His whole body shaking as he wanted so badly for this whole situation to end.

"I don't care what you did to get where you are." Judy whispered, tears streaming down her own grey furred cheeks, leaving dark, wet streaks where they flowed openly. "I love you." She kissed him lightly on the nose and threw her arms around him letting her emotions overcome her for a moment. Slowly she felt two shaky and drained arms find their place around her waist as he hugged her right back. She could feel his heart beating against her chest as his body jolted while he too sobbed openly.

Neither had felt as safe and secure as they did now in each other's arms, for days.

Judy backed out from their embrace and rubbed her hands reassuringly up and down Nick's arms as she looked deep into his eyes with a broad smile across her face. His eyes filled once more with hope and a desire to survive. "Come." She whispered, grasping his hands in her own, "Let's get you out of here." Nick started to shake his head furiously with wide eyes as Judy began to pull him up. A beep and the sound of static rang through the air as Nick half stood up before he fell to the floor again, the bunny was just quick enough to catch him from falling flat onto his face. "You can't stand, can you?" She asked as she felt the static transfer from Nick's fur to her own and realised that Nick's collar was designed to shock him every time he tried to stand or raise himself beyond a certain height. Once more the fox pulled away from her and looked away in shame, shaking his head low from a crouched position.

Judy felt another round of tears coming on at the thought of all that X had been putting her Nick through, to humiliate him in such a fashion. "Hey, hey. It's okay." She stated as cheerily as she could, forcing back the lump in her throat, leaning forward so that she was eye level with the fox. "Here, give me your hand." She asked. The fox looking up at her to see a way smile and a welcoming hand in his wait. The shaky left hand of Nick tightly grasped onto Judy's right hand, and she slowly started walking sideways so she could keep eye contact with Nick as he figured out crawling with 3 limbs at a decent pace while keeping a firm grip of Judy. "It's alright, I'm not going anywhere." She assured him with another warm smile. "Now, let's see about getting you untangled and that brilliant mouth of yours free. Judy waited for Nick to make the few steps so that he fell in line with her and so that they could walk side by side, Judy's left hand felt out the chain on the ground and lifted it so they could carefully work backward and hopefully find the start of the chain and see about freeing Nick.

* * *

It took some time, but after much circling and untangling around various bushes and trees: Judy and Nick had made their way back to the start of his length of chain. "Perfect!" exclaimed the bunny as she released the fox's hand to run forward and begin investigating where the chain had been bolted to the wall.

Nick looked on at her as she paced around the anchor to his first entrapment, mesmerised. He could not believe everything she had gone through to get him back, he kept telling himself that he did not deserve it; he did not deserve to be so loved, so cherished by someone so wonderful as Judy. Yet here she was, helping him, breaking him free from both his mental and physical prisons. 'And who knows?' Nick thought to himself. 'With a bit of luck, they might actually make it out of here-

Nick's thoughts were cut off as well as Judy's fiddling with the chain as both turned to see where the loud mechanical crack had come from as well as the sudden Dimness.

Across the observation room; Laurence looked up and cursed twice, once for his luck that was quickly turning bad again, and a second time for the bunny that was taking far too long and had now potentially cost them an easy escape and any chance at plotting a surprise attack on X. He crouched low, his one arm holding back the door he hid behind, guarding the bunny's exit as he kept a wary eye both in and out of the room.

Both Nick and Judy then caught eye of a silhouette behind the turned off spotlight at one of the corners of the room. Nick's heart sank into his stomach. This dream of a rescue was quickly turning into a nightmare. It took a mere chuckle from the silhouette for Judy to recognise the two toned monstrosity that stood above them in the rafters where the spotlights had been fixed to.

"Well I have to admit. You know how you can picture something happening in your head, and then obsess about it, playing it over and over. But then it actually happens and it doesn't live up to your expectations? This right here is the complete opposite!" X's voice rang through the air as the spotlights dimmed just enough so he could still make out his captives, and a new light from across the roof fell upon him and illuminated the hybrid above those he spoke to.

Judy's brow furrowed as she found herself carefully moving towards Nick and holding him firmly on both shoulders from behind. "For someone who care's only for necessities, your vanity seems to go unwanting!"

X's laughter roared as it spread across all corners of the miniature reserve. "You're not wrong, prey! But this, this was too good of an opportunity to miss. I am a savage, yes, but I know when occasions call for more, dare I say it, civil conduct."

Judy's voice screeched as she shouted back, "There is not a civil bone left in your body you monster! You-

"You're right!" X shouted back, cutting the bunny off as he began to pace in their direction along the rafter's line. "There isn't a civil bone left in this body." The Hybrid then hopped down deftly, landing with little more than a grunt; into a low crouch with a hand in front of him from the good 8 meter drop. Lifting his head to meet eyes with Judy and only glancing at Nick, the low lighting gave his defined and disfigured face a devilish definition. X stood at his full height, slightly hunched over as he glared madly at the bunny holding the fox. His head tilted back as he began to take a step towards the two of them. "All those civil bones were broken." Judy let go of Nick and unholstered her pistol, aiming it right at X's head as the bunny noticed a red glistening all over the hybrids face, a red substance, blood.

Taking another step and looking deeply into the bunny's eyes; X ran a finger over his blood soaked jawline that was causing the fur on his face to clump together. "They were broken again and again…" Raising the now blood covered finger to his mouth X gave it a single firm lick, refusing to break eye contact with Judy. "And again."

"Stay back!" Shouted Judy, tensing and releasing her arm muscles to keep a steady aim on the monster before her.

Nick reached behind his back with his arms so to grasp Judy's legs to reassure her of his presence. He knew that Judy was now in a deep mind game with X and with his inability to intervene it was up to his clever and brave little bunny to fight back.

"Terribly sorry." X's course voice came back in response as he took yet another step; now a mere four or five step away from the bunny and fox. "I must look an awful mess after having to 'discipline' my security for letting you slip by, Judy." Judy's ears flicked and she felt her fur stand on edge as this monster's doubled voice called out her name.

"I'll bet I look somewhat savage, wild even." X continued as he took another step forward, his arms going up and outward in a gesture of openness. His glare was hypnotic to the bunny, but she broke eye contact with him for a split second to notice the device he held in his hand. And X noticed the glance.

"I'll also bet that you looked something like this when my little tiger puppet attacked you with his forces the other night." He continued with a smirk as he took yet another step. He was now practically within a grasps reach of both the bunny and the fox.

Judy's eyes grew wide as she found X had triggered that dark pit he had placed inside her. She glared at the hybrid and had to shake her head clear and refocus her vision as she swore she could see not X, but herself walking toward her with the device at hand. She looked exactly as she had the other night at Mr Big's mansion once the attack had begun. Ripped clothes, a blood stain smeared across her face, and a metal ring pulling her ear down.

This dark version of herself then spoke out to Judy. "Put the gun down." Judy felt numb and paralysed as her eyes were locked with the monster that was herself. Her arms slowly lowered. She could faintly make out the sound of Nick growling, but that soon faded away, as did the environment around her until she stood in a black void with the version of herself she feared the most.

"Very good." Exclaimed the darker bunny as a smirk spread across its face, now standing close enough to grab the bunny. "This device I hold will set Nick free, and I will gladly do that, provided I get to keep you in his place." The dark version of herself placed a hand on her shoulder and stared deeply into her eyes. "Provided you accept what you have become."

X had Judy right where he wanted her. She was trapped good and proper in his mind games. Nick saw that this was not going well and tried lunging forward and ramming the hybrid that stood in front of them. But X deftly kicked Nick out of the way, hitting a nerve point in the fox's right shoulder that rendered him lying numb on the floor, all while never breaking eyesight with the bunny before him.

"What do you say?" The echoed and drowned out voice of herself called out to Judy as the dark version of the bunny held out the device for her to take.

"I'll say it one time." Judy responded cautiously to the illusion of herself, her voice cracking ad uncertain. Reaching out with a shaky hand and grasping the device. It took everything Judy had to break eyesight with her shadow-self and move in close for a whisper. "I'm not you."

A gun shot rang through the air.

* * *

Laurence could only hear distant murmuring through the plantation in the room once X had hopped down to confront Judy. But the gunshot rang clear and true. 'The question is…' the large leopard thought to himself, 'Who shot who.' The bushes before him suddenly began to rustle and Laurence raised his one arm as defensively as his tired body would let him as he stepped back so only his leg held the door open.

The war hardened Leopard almost let out a yelp before he realised it was Judy with Nick's semi-conscious body slung over her shoulders that burst through the bushes.

"Get out and close the door, now!" The bunny shouted out in a mix of rage and absolute horror.

* * *

 ** _A big thanks to all whom are still following this and any new readers I have picked up recently! The support and feedback is thoroughly appreciated._**

 _This was originally going to be one giant final chapter, but as it neared nine thousand words I though it better to split it. Fear not for I am almost done with the second half and it should be up by monday at the latest._

 _Have a fantastic weekend. and I'll see you at the end of this wild tale._

 _Please and Love_

 _Un4gottenSOUL_


	16. Predator's Prey (Part 2 of 2)

X rolled about on the ground, spitting out curses as he clutched his right thigh between his two large hands. "Stupid Prey!" He shouted out to the universe as he ripped off his trousers and crunched into a semi-upright position to inspect the entry wound. Using a shaky hand to feel the underside of his rapidly numbing leg he found no exit wound and let out another curse. Without a moment's thought he used his right hand to hold his right leg down as he came up into a proper seated position and using his left hand he spread the entry wound into his leg and dug out the nine millimeter bullet while laughing manically at the glorious pain he felt.

Holding the bullet to his face he gave it a quick look over, appreciating the craft of such a simple yet painful creation before throwing it to the side. Licking the fingers of his now bloody left hand he used his right hand to help himself into a squat. Adrenaline having fully taken over the pain he found the discomfort unbearable, but his leg mostly functional as a small trail of blood flowed freely from the now empty wound. X reached over to his now torn trousers and tore off a strip of cloth and hastily wrapped it around the wound.

Then standing tall; naked, wild, savage and furious… X was on the hunt.

* * *

Judy had found some of her hidden abilities start to kick in as Nick waved in and out of consciousness. She knew they had to move quickly and that she hadn't killed X but merely slowed him down and made him very angry. Her body wanted to leap strides ahead with the now weightless Nick on her back; she looked back and saw the leopard struggling to keep up. "Damn it all, either speed it up or I'll carry you too!" Judy shouted back to Laurence while looking back in his direction as they ran across an open stretch of garden outside of the main entrance to the farm. "Alright! I'm coming!" Shouted the irritated leopard who's nerve had obviously been touched by that statement from Judy.

Judy had them headed straight for where she saw all the jeeps outside the militia encampment. She assumed that that would be their best bet at escape and then a quick five minute drive to the helicopter of Mr Big's that was waiting for them.

They were rapidly coming into view of the cottages off to the corner of the estate when Judy was forced to stop in her tracks as she caught sight of what was in the middle of them all. Laurence who had caught up to the bunny also took pause and let out a sigh. "Death in war is something I'm used to, but these animals; they were slaughtered." Judy felt her stomach start to knot at the sight of at least fifty animals mangled corpses piled in the center of this encampment; all with looks of horror and fear on their faces. Judy noticed that they all held weapons as well, and with a glance around she saw that all the cottages were strewn with bullet holes. They fought back. And even a large group of armed militia were not enough to stop the mad wrath of X; the monstrous hybrid.

"Let's go." Judy stated low with a voice course from shock. She walked herself, Nick and Laurence over to where all the jeeps were parked.

Carefully placing Nick in the back seat of a black jeep at the front of the line, Judy then felt around the front; Looking for a key. Opening the dashboard she found what she was looking for.

Hopping into the driver's seat and adjusting it for her height, Laurence climbed inside the passenger side. "We still have a deal, Hopps. You need to kill X." Laurence demanded as he sat down, closed the door and turned to face the bunny. What he did not expect was the angry look awaiting him, not to mention her fist that then flew right into his face with all her strength causing him to see stars for a moment and his nose to bleed. He began to fill with rage and was about to lash out at the bunny before he found the barrel to her pistol staring him right in the face.

"Let me be frank," started the bunny while staring Laurence dead in the eyes.

"The reason you're here, Nick's here, I'm here and heck; Even X. Is because you..." The bunny then made an up and down motion pointing with her gun at the leopard. "You started this mess from day one. Now before I beat you into next Tuesday, and let's be honest; we both know I can do it, I want you to sit there, shut your mouth, and let me get us out of here. If you want to stay here and deal with X then that is your choice entirely. Are we clear?" Judy's last words were final and firm, leaving the leopard looking gobsmacked as he slowly nodded up and down in understanding. "Good." Judy continued while turning the key to start the car. "Let's leave this place."

* * *

Two eyes glowed in the dark of the night as they honed their sights down on the dimmed headlights of a jeep making its way fast towards the emergency exit of the farm. A low growl came from the glowing eyed creature as it took off in a sprint on all fours. Enraged, and hungry for revenge.

Changing direction slightly so the hybrid predator was not aiming straight for the jeep, but rather just a head of it; the cheetah half of his being kicked into over-drive as he quickly climbed to his maximum speed. The bullet wound only hindered his movement slightly but he was a professional at dealing with pain.

X was closing in on the jeep.

* * *

Judy was feeling close to giddy as she saw the wood slated gate that marked the exit come into view and become slightly illuminated by the car's headlights.

But her small body tensed at the sight of a creature appearing between them and the exit. The creature on all fours and panting viciously as it glared down those in the vehicle. "X!" Shouted Judy as she pulled hard to the right to move away from the creature as well as their chance of escape. Judy did not expect X to remain trapped in that room for long, but she expected it would have taken longer than it clearly did. Suddenly the bunny felt a strong tug on the wheel in the opposite direction she had begun turning to.

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Laurence above the now over revving engine as he tried to steer them around and back to the exit with his one good arm. "Go back there and kill him! Run him over for heaven's sake!" The vehicle began to skid on the late-night and early-morning dew at the sudden change of direction and although this vehicle was built for off road, the sudden counter-steering at the speed they were going was making the vehicle unstable.

"Get off me!" Shouted Judy as she tried to correct the vehicle but it was already too late. Laurence's stubbornness had cost them dearly as she suddenly felt the front of the vehicle come forward and the back begin to lift. It wasn't a moment after she heard Laurence shout out a curse before he bailed out of the vehicle. And then the vehicle seized as it began to turn all the way over. The top was now the bottom. And Judy's new instincts had just kicked in.

The bunny's head hurt viciously as the world around her seemed to slow down. The vehicle was mid-air and floating upside down, getting ready to let gravity take control. It was going to be a deadly roll. That much was clear as she hung desperately onto the steering wheel and floating as is. Her first instinct was to look at Nick who was still battling consciousness and was bashing about the back seat. If he is in this car when it touches down; the force will kill him. That being the only thought the bunny needed as she tilted her ears back and focused her concentration as the vehicle, time and space began to correct itself around her. And everything came back to full speed.

Judy pulled herself down and onto the steering wheel as she locked her gaze on Nick, and with all her strength; natural and supernatural; she launched herself at him. Grabbing a hold of the fox as she burst through the back window, grabbing a hold of the under sided axis of the car and flinging themselves into the dark and out of the crashing vehicles trajectory. Nick landed hard with a grunt and Judy half gasped and half cried as she landed.

Sitting up fast; her grey hand felt around in the dark to find what felt like a piece of glass from the car, roughly half the size of one of her ears had wedged into her waist. Feeling the angle it had gone in; Judy knew that it had hit none of her vitals, she would live, but she would lose blood and her whole right side was going numb from the pain. With a scrunched face she watched the car roll and crash about as she considered how that could have been Nick's and her own tomb. The thought of the fox immediately caused her to stand and limp around for a moment to gather her bearings until her eyes lay upon that of the unconscious fox beginning to stir. Her eyes again adapted with her abilities and she could see almost as though it were midday. But every time these powers came into effect; the bunny's head hurt more and more. Judy stood straight to take a breath of air and immediately hunched back over slightly at the pain it caused. The bunny was forced to strip off her utility belt and drop her bullet proof vest so as to give the glass some room to shift. It was in too deep for her to remove it and risk possibly bleeding out. But she wasn't out of the thick of it yet. They were now open targets for a savage animal on the hunt.

Judy limped over to her fox and breathed a heavy sigh of relief to see that he was unharmed, save for a few scratches. She had seen him go through worse over this whole event and knew that her Nick would be just fine.

Judy's senses suddenly kicked into overdrive as she heard rustling, and it was approaching her fast. Her ears stood high as she turned with great strain, her body's adrenaline only starting to kick in now. But it wasn't quick enough, she turned just in time to see X leap onto his feet and punch her in the cheek, she staggered, he came back around swinging and hit her in her other cheek. The monster had no more words; he was in a blood frenzy and loving every moment of it.

The bunny's head reeled with each blow and she had only one thought on her mind. Keep X away from Nick. The Hybrid came around with a third swing and Judy ducked back instinctively. His punch made no connection and his over confidence had left him over stepping. Judy Came up with her own punch and it made contact with the underside of X's jaw.

Her arms raised in a fighter's pose she hopped back to gather some space for a reasonable defense and to move X away from Nick.

The Hybrid laughed manically as he stood tall after rubbing his jaw and then came at her again. Following her lead; away from Nick.

Judy had cut the inside of her mouth on the second punch; the bunny swirled the blood and saliva around her mouth once before spitting it out. The bunny had been dodging the hybrids punches as though it were a dance, and as soon as she went on the offensive it was the same for her, swinging precisely but just missing or being blocked.

Height wise, X towered above her, almost as tall as Laurence at his full height, but then Judy found her smaller frame to be more of an advantage than a hindrance. While he had to aim low to make contact with her, the bunny had free roam of every angle being an opportunity.

The hybrid in his full savage form and the bunny using every ounce of what power had been bestowed upon her; were deadlocked in a battle where every blow counted.

* * *

The fox inhaled deeply as the blow to his nerve from X had fully worn off and he had begun to regain control of his body. Swaying his head from left to right and clicking the stiffness out of it; Nick took a moment to savour the opening and closing of his mouth.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sudden booming bellow of an explosion followed by a flash of light, and then flames everywhere. The crashed vehicle's fuel had now made contact with a small engine blaze and had blown the whole car. The shock-wave had caused Nick to hunker down from the force. And two silhouettes that were seen fighting alongside the flash of crimson, amber and then white; were both knocked to the ground.

Hearing both X and Judy cry out in pain after the explosion was enough to get the exhausted fox moving. Nick stood on shaky legs and started to walk towards the sounds of discomfort, but stopped dead in his tracks, as above the moaning and crackling of the fire he heard grunting moving in his direction. Turning moments too late; Nick was pushed to the ground by a one armed leopard that in the glow of the fire had visibly been battered and bruised from his rushed bailing of the vehicle. Laurence bent down and scrambled in the dark and low glow to find what he was looking for. "Ahah!" He exclaimed as Nick watched him while slowly once more making his way to his feet. The colour drained from the fox's face as he saw the leopard pick up the pistol from Judy's utility belt and start walking in the direction of the two super-creatures. Still on the ground from the aftershock of standing too close to the explosion.

* * *

Judy's eyes watered as she rolled onto her side and felt behind her back. The long piece of glass had broken off, and half was still inside her. She felt a fresh burning sensation from within and knew that it had shifted as well, doing even more damage.

The bunny suddenly yelped at the horrifying sight of X, half on fire; appearing on top of her and beginning to strangle her. The Hybrid's double voice low and course as he screamed from the pain as fur on his back was being scorched. "WHY!" He screamed right in her face, so close that his nose was basically touching hers, he squeezed with such force Judy knew that this would kill her in mere moments unless she stopped him. Luck was on the bunny's side as she kicked down and hard at X and her foot landed on where she had shot him earlier in the leg. X grunted and loosened his grip, just enough for the bunny to utilise her newfound strength and pull his hands from their position. She then lifted her feet to his chest and kicked up while rolling back; resulting in a somersault and Judy landing on top of X. The wet grass bellow them put the flames out on X's back but he now faced a frontal assault from the bunny. Her head now hurt to the point where her vision was going red once more, she was losing control of her power, and she was going savage. Her punches flew both wildly and hard, all connecting to the unprepared hybrid until he regained his wits and grabbed her wrists. X then roared in the face of the bunny, a mixture of a cheetah's growl and a fox's howl bellowed into the night's sky. What X didn't expect was the pure red glow of her eyes staring deeply into his and the mighty roar that then came from the tiny bunny. Finding himself underpowered to a stronger and wilder savage, for the first time in years; X felt a flicker of fear.

In the red glow of the looming explosion; Judy looked demonic. Her eyes were completely red glowing orbs, her ears' fur seemed more course and as she roared at the creature beneath her, her teeth seemed even sharper.

Managing to momentarily stop her fists with his own; X used a tactic similar to Judy's last move, except once lifting his legs, he kicked her off to the side. Rolling in the cold and damp grass until he came up into a crouched position; X mentally cursed his body for not coping better with the pain it was currently dealing with, a bullet wound, burns and a full on physical assault. 'You've had worse' his mind snickered to himself.

X watched the wild bunny gone predator lash about on the ground for a while before she came into a low crouch and glared in his direction; growling low and with deadly intent. X smiled to no one in particular as he stated to the world through a busted and swelling lip, "Is it so wrong that I feel pride in half making what might kill me?" X made small circles with his shoulders while keeping his fists raised up defensively, clicking stiff joints and tired bones. All before he too fell into a low crouch; placing his hands on the floor and glaring at the bunny who panted heavily with a look of absolute blood-lust on her face. "Bring it!" X roared, more so than shouted, as he leaped forward at the bunny who just a moment after him followed suite.

* * *

"No! Stop!" Nick tried to scream out, but between near dehydration and not having the freedom to talk for a while his voice came out as little more than a whisper as he hobbled wearily after the leopard that was ready to end everything.

The silhouettes of the two primal animals fighting atop one another danced over the leopard and fox that slowly approached. Nick's body screamed in fatigue as he picked up the pace and half tackled, half fell on top of Laurence; taking them both to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shouted the leopard as he turned onto his back to find the fox trying desperately to strip him from the gun he held. Pulling his hand free with the gun still at hand; Laurence backhanded the fox as he continued, "Let me fix my mistake, let me kill X." Nick did the only thing he had the energy to do whilst lying on Laurence's right side; the fox groaned in disgust at his own tactic and then bit hard into the waist of the leopard. Laurence who had now been trying to get a steady aim while lying on the floor immediately found his arm retreating to cover his waist.

Spitting out a tuft of hair that he had gotten into his mouth, Nick responded, "And what if you hit Judy?

Without even trying to attack, Laurence simply looked at Nick, his eyes spilling honesty in the glow of the distant fire. "Then I'd be doing you a favour, look at her!" Nick reluctantly broke eye contact with Laurence to gaze at the two immensely strong animals battling hard, dodging and connecting impossible hits on each other. "She is not there anymore, between the pure DNA enhancer her body consumed whole and the mental instability X has caused her… Judy Hopps the officer is gone. All that remains in that battle is two monsters we have both created."

Nick closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "You're right." His voice came out course and quiet as Laurence nodded and turned to readjust his aim. "They are monsters we created." Nick's Brow furrowed as he readjusted his body into a leaping position. "But I'm going to do something you never did for X. I'm going to bring my Judy back from the edge."

Laurence turned his head at that to look back at Nick only to find the fox gone, looking forward again; he found Nick standing before him with a leg reeled back that came down hard crashing into the stump where his left arm used to be. Laurence immediately dropped the gun and howled in pain as his last hand came in to shield his weak spot from any more incoming assaults.

"I'm sorry for that, truly." Nick stated sincerely as he bent and picked up the gun while the leopard continued howling in pain. "But you're a real jerk and that's something you need to work on." The fox finished as he turned and began the final few steps into the danger zone of the colossal battle that was unfolding before his very eyes.

* * *

Both X and Judy were exhausted. Fatigued beyond all else. Just finishing trading another set of blows, both stepped back rhythmically before collapsing into a crouch and each with and hand on the floor while they gasped for air in the smoky atmosphere. It was at the point where they were both simply waiting for the other to make a mistake and end this fight. And that could happen at any moment, be it their next round of traded blows, or half an hour from now. Both knew it and tried their best to hide it.

Standing and beginning to run at each other once more; two gunshots rang through the air while a burst of dirt and grass was kicked up on the ground between the two warring animals as they were forced to stop in their tracks and stumble back. Nick held the smoking gun in two shaky hands as he toggled his sights on X, who had now taken to sitting on his rear and holding his bleeding leg while keeping strict eye contact with Judy, wheezing more than panting. Nick then shifted his gaze and sights on to that of his bunny and saw her on her knees, leaning forward and holding her back where there was also blood flowing freely from, her eyes were glowing red and her mouth was curled into a snarl as she growled low between heavy breathes. She glared at the fox who had interrupted more than the hybrid she had been fighting with.

"Judy…" Nick's voice crackled like the fire through the night.

"Don't bother." X remarked from his seated position as he strained to keep both of his swelling black eyes open. "Judy's not in there anymore." He finished before grunting low and spitting out a mixture of spit and blood caused by a cut in his cheek.

Ignoring X and walking cautiously towards the bunny with the gun raised at her head, Nick continued. "I know you're still in there." As her crept closer he heard more and more of a low growl coming from the bunny. "You are better than this Judy. You've fought off and endured worse, don't let this poison in you seize control. You can control it, and I've seen you do it." Nick then lifted both of his hands as a sign of openness and threw the gun off to his left. He kept his arms both in an open gesture. He was now only a couple of steps away from her and he could hear the growls clearly now, and she was starting to shake. She would attack at a moment's notice if he made the wrong move.

"Come now…" He added as little more than a whisper. "Who's my dumb little bunny?" The fox carefully and slowly wrapped his arms around Judy. He could feel her breathing hard and heavy, but the growling subsided. He tensed at the feeling of her now clawed hands coming up to his back; they were course, rough and strong. But the claws faded and he could feel her hands and grip softening.

"N….Nick?" He heard the bunny stutter as he pulled away gently from their embrace to see the battered little bunny looking confused and disorientated. "W…what happened-

"We'll talk about it later, but now, we leave." Was all Nick said as he grasped the bunny's hands and began walking. Judy collapsed from exhaustion, she was still fully conscious but her body was drained. She could not walk. "I've got you." Nick whispered to her as he carefully lifted the small mammal to cradle her in his arms. She whimpered at the discomfort in her back and he took careful strain to make sure he hurt her as little as possible. Nick started to walk to the exit they had been headed for.

"And just where… Do you think you two are going?" X blurted out with another mouthful of blood as it dripped out of his mouth and dangled down before striking his chest. He stood on shaky legs and limped towards the two mammals trying to leave.

"X, you've lost." Nick turned and replied to his half-brother. "We know you're here and so do others, this entire operation is closed. "We've defeated you and your forces, and all of these animals are going to be rehabilitated. I'm leaving you with your life, which is the most I can offer. But Judy and I leave this place forever, we leave you forever. I'm done with you X; I can't feel sorry any more for what I did. I tried to save you again and again, but you're just not in there to save anymore. I wish you all the best brother, but this is our final farewell." Nick finished that last word with sympathy in his voice as he turned to walk away, holding his life's purpose in his arms.

"You're done… with me…" X murmured to himself. Barely able to see through his swollen eyes, he glared at the blurry figure of the fox walking away and his fists clenched with newfound rage.

"You may be done." X whispered to no one in particular. "But I'm just getting started." With newfound energy X began to pace towards the fox, claws at the ready, he increased his pace to a jog up until he was right on top of the Fox's back. "Don't you get it!" X shouted, causing Nick to turn and step back defensively. "You'll never be done with me, NEVER!"

Nick cowered and turned to cover Judy as X raised his arms to deal a vicious blow, before a voice rang through the smoke hazed night. "Move!" it shouted and Nick leaped with his last reserves of energy to the side as three gunshots rang through the air.

X's body recoiled with each shot before he turned with three new holes in his torso; blood pouring out of them and staining his fur. He glared at Laurence who stepped through the smoke while holding the gun; still aimed at him. And X started to walk towards the leopard, refusing to stop there; Laurence continued pulling the trigger. Another three rounds were discharged and X's body began to falter, his legs gave and he collapsed to the floor and began to crawl. Lifting a heavy head to stare at the leopard he let out one final cough of blood before managing to form the phrase "Like a savage." Standing before the monster Laurence pulled the trigger one final time, the bullet going right through his skull.

Nick stared at Laurence in disbelief, still clutching onto Judy's frail body. The jaguar gave him one final solute with his one arm still holding the gun before disappearing into the smoke of the fire and the haze of the night. Laurence Clawton was gone, and X the monster was dead.

Nick felt a moment of regret as he let his gaze fall upon the grimacing bunny in his arms. Much like Judy he had hoped for there to be yet another chance to save X, but his last act had proven not. Shaking his head clear and holding Judy close to his own battered and beaten body. Nick walked forward in the night. All that mattered to the fox lay in pain in his arms, and he needed to get her help fast. Eventually making it back to where all the vehicles were parked by the militia; Nick gently placed Judy lying down in the passenger seat. He smiled at the small and shaky being that curled where it lay. He did not know where Judy was supposed to meet those who would extract them, but what he did know is that he had a full tank of fuel and a reason to keep on going. And a direction they had been pointed in.

Sitting in the driver's seat; Nick turned the key, put the car into gear and started to drive. "Morning would break in an hour or so." Nick mused to no one in particular. "But I know for certain that it will break, a new dawn, a new day, and a new adventure with you." He finished while smiling and glancing at Judy. 'This fact I can trust to be true.' The fox thought to himself as X's farm disappeared out of view from the rear view mirror.

Placing his hand on Judy's ankle and giving it a little squeeze where she lay for reassurance, his mind let one final thought run free before focusing on finding their safety. 'No one, especially you and I Carrots… Can spell the word TRUST, without US.'

* * *

 ** _Thank you all for coming on this crazy journey with me, it's been one wild ride through a dramatic spectrum of emotions and feelings and seeing just how far we could push Judy and Nick._**

 _ **But it's not over yet, further questions need answers and loose ends need tying off. I will very soon follow up with an epilogue for this tale and possibly address the idea of a sequel, until then... Thank you all once more for the nonstop support I have received while writing this and stay tuned for a new tale with our favorite crime fighting duo that will be out before you know it**._

Peace and love

Un4gottenSOUL


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